A Sakura's Scent
by bacatlover
Summary: His nose leads him into uncharted territory far too often.  As does a certain canine companion.  But when he's put on a mission with a scent he can't resist, what actions will he take? KibaxSaku
1. Daily Interruptions

A Sakura's Scent

* * *

Chapter 1 - Daily Interruptions

Leaning back against the rough trunk of a looming oak, Sakura reveled in the peaceful afternoon. It was her first day off in three weeks; between missions with Naruto, Sai, and Kakashi, training with Tsunade, and working at the hospital she had very little time for herself.

Hearing a number of gruff barks, Sakura sighed.

_There goes my peace…_

"Akamaru? What is it? Hey, where are you going, boy?"

_Oh yeah, peace is right out the door…_

Honing in on the approaching pair with her ears, she waited for them to come bounding into the clearing. Instead she heard a crash still quite a distance from her location and saw the burly white Akamaru walk calmly from the bushes. Both were quickly followed by Kiba's cursing.

"What the hell, Akamaru? Son of a… aw, aw, Akamaru! That's disgusting! And what's with the wire? Were you _trying_ to make me fall? Why you… come back here, Akamaru!"

Meanwhile Akamaru had, quite unobtrusively, placed his head on Sakura's upper thighs and nuzzled her flat stomach.

A slight giggle slipped past her lips. "What are you doing, Akamaru? I'm ticklish."

Responding in his usual cheerful way, "You smell good. I could smell you all the way back at the training grounds."

She managed a full laugh this time, and then proceeded to scratch behind Akamaru's ears, tangling her fingers deeply into his fur. "Well, I guess it's good to know I don't smell bad…"

"Damnit, Akamaru. Did you really have to come _here_?" Still concealed by the foliage, Kiba nearly moaned, and from his tone Sakura could guess it was more to do with the _who_ than _where_ factor.

Sakura huffed. If he disliked her that much he shouldn't have come. His sense of smell was nearly as keen as Akamaru's so he had to have known she was there long before he arrived at her place of relaxation. Kiba hesitantly approached her, rubbing the back of his head.

"Seems like he's fond of you, Sakura."

Another laugh, although slightly nervous now, spilled from her lips. "He said I smell good."

Turning away, and speaking unconsciously Kiba remarked, "You do."

"What?" Sakura asked in surprise, her right eyebrow cocking upwards. "What did you say?"

Predictably, Kiba refused to answer. Akamaru, on the other hand, was quite willing. "He said you do. That's why he avoids you when he can. He's more like a dog than you know." Laughing all the while, the large animal continued to suck up the attention she was giving him with her blunt, yet suitable, nails scratching through his fur.

"Traitor," Kiba nearly barked, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

So what if her smell was more than appealing, it didn't mean he liked her, at least that's what he'd told himself since first being introduced to the girl at the age of twelve. It didn't help matters that they had both grown, delving into adulthood more quickly than Kiba was ready for. Especially since she was now more alluring in both scent and appearance.

And so what if this was usually the age that members of his family married at. He was only nineteen; he still had plenty of time left to find somebody. Kiba doubted he'd ever find anyone that smelled near as good as Sakura did, but her affections went in other directions. It went to her teammates, even that traitorous and still missing Sasuke. But everyone knew where she spent her days and the occasional night; either with Naruto, Sai, or even her former sensei, Hatake Kakashi.

The only one Kiba could even fathom Sakura with was Naruto, after all, Sai seemed to be a bit shifty in sexual preference and Hatake was far too old for her, close to the age of his own former sensei, Kurenai. And, while Kiba would openly admit Kurenai was rather attractive, she was just too old for him.

"Kiba?" Sakura's concerned voice breached his thoughts.

"Eh? Yeah, sorry. What?" Kiba replied, glancing towards Sakura, only to find her face a mere inch or two from his own.

"Are you alright?" She asked, lips pouting as she spoke.

_Does she have to smell this good?_ Kiba questioned inwardly, while whining outwardly.

"You're acting strangely. Why don't you let me take a look at you? See if you're sick or anything?"

At this point, Kiba wasn't surprised by her concern. He was breathing heavily now, and, even though it wasn't for the reason she suspected, he could still understand why.

Placing her palm against his forehead, she gauged his temperature. "Hm, you don't feel too terribly warm. Did you eat something spoiled?"

"No. It's nothing; I'm fine, thanks," Kiba grumbled, twisting away from the cool hand still settled on his skin.

"Are you sure-"

Interrupting her worried interrogation, he said, "Yeah. Sorry, but I really should get back to training. Akamaru, come on." Before leaping into the trees to follow Kiba, Akamaru butted his head against Sakura's leg and said, "Don't worry, he just doesn't know how to deal with your specific scent very well."

And as quickly as her relaxing afternoon was interrupted, they were both gone, leaving Sakura with a perplexed expression and sudden spurt of energy.

* * *

"Akamaru," Kiba said, landing smoothly after throwing several kunai at the targets that littered the training grounds. "Don't make me chase you again… especially not to where she is."

"Baka!" Roughly Akamaru growled, "she's not mated; you can smell that much, just like me. So what's the problem?"

"Wha-what's the problem? The problem is that she and I hardly know each other, she's too friendly with her teammates, and-and-"

"And what? She's too smart for you?" A familiar voice uttered from the bushes. Kiba spun about, moving so quickly the heel of his sandal tore a clump of grass from the ground. He sniffed the air for a moment, but couldn't detect anything abnormal.

"Shino, why can't I smell you?" Kiba asked, quirking his head to the side.

He heard Shino laugh slightly, before his friend revealed himself. "It's a new technique I'm working on with the insects. Basically, they cloak sound and smell. I think it will come in use. You?" Shino could clearly tell the idea of being unable to detect something by scent irked Kiba. Deciding to change the subject before the rather quick-tempered shinobi could react, Shino said, "So, who exactly are you talking about?"

Scratching the back of his head in a mannerism much like Naruto, he stumbled for an answer. "Um, well, it's no one really, just a woman."

"Ah," Shino said, feigning agreement, "and what is this woman's name, Kiba?" Shino's amusement, had he not been wearing his ever-present sunglasses, would have been obvious to the flustered nin; a single brow was lifted and his lips had settled into a small smirk.

Biting his lip, Kiba mumbled, "Really, she's no one…"

"You're going to make this difficult? Alright then. Hinata-san? Ino-san? Hmm. Sakura-san?" and at that he paused. The whiteness around Kiba's mouth was a positive indicator that the last name was the 'who.'

Kiba noticed Shino's silence and knew he'd been found out.

"Just go away; I'm training, Shino." Kiba snapped, irate and only longing to throw himself so deeply into work that he would forget her damned scent that seemed to have attached itself to Akamaru since their encounter.

"What is it that attracts you to her?" Shino calmly asked, effectively ignoring Kiba's demand that he go away. "Her appearance? Personality?"

Kiba couldn't believe his luck, or lack thereof. There was an understood bond between the two. They were friends and both relied upon the other during missions, would give their lives for each other, but it had always been a silent agreement that the two wouldn't question the other, nor had either really tried. So why was Shino pushing it so hard this time?

"Or is it," at this point Shino couldn't keep the slight snort hidden, "mating seasons?" Shino didn't laugh at the term per se, but more at the idea of Sakura being 'in heat' and the agony Kiba would be going through due to that. He himself had the ability to smell insect pheromones and knew how uncomfortable that could be.

"Shut up, baka," Kiba snarled, his temper finally getting the better of him. "It's not that, damnit; she _always _smells good!" Flinging more kunai into a target, Kiba debated on fleeing. He hadn't meant to let that slip. But the damage was done and he couldn't take those words back no matter how badly he wanted to.

"Ah, so this has been so for awhile now? Not just a recent attraction-"

"Shino, just- I'm leaving. I'm being assigned a mission today. Bye." Kiba, followed closely by Akamaru, leapt to the nearest roof and began the trek to Hokage tower.

* * *

"Sakura?"

"Mm, Tsunade-shishou? What is it?" Replying to her sensei and friend, Sakura barely glanced up from the medical scroll she was studying.

"I'm sending you on a mission," the Godaime answered simply.

"With? Naruto? Kakashi-sensei? Sai? Yamato-sensei?"

Tsunade sighed in slight frustration; sometimes her apprentice was a bit too much like Naruto in her eagerness anymore. "No, Sakura. This isn't a normal mission. It's actually a special mission for a single person, but I don't quite trust him to not act recklessly on it and I want you there to help him. The mission will suit you well, since I've trained you to avoid attacks, and I'm hoping you can get his compliance in that. I'd rather not have him killed because of my lack of foresight."

"Well," Sakura interjected, "who am I going with?" For some reason, Sakura had a bad feeling about this. Her senses were tingling, and she couldn't count how many times those same senses had saved her life.

So it came as no surprise when Tsunade, lackadaisically said, "Oh, well, that would be Inuzuka Kiba. You'll travel to the Kumogakure, delivering a message to the Raikage. The scroll's contents are to only be known by myself and the Raikage, under _no _circumstances are you two to let it fall into the hands of Grass or Water. If it comes down to it, destroy the document, but _do not_ let its contents be known to anyone."

Sakura had never known her shishou to be quite this adamant about the secrecy of a document to be exchanged between hidden villages. Meaning it was something much more important that monetary exchange or a small agreement of peaceful engagements.

Quietly clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Sakura watched as Tsunade rummaged in a desk drawer.

"You'll be leaving tomorrow evening, after dark. The less amount of attention you draw to yourselves, the better. Understood? Now, where is that insolent boy? If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was trying to become a Kakashi duplicate."

Almost as soon as the words had left her mouth, Shizune rapped on the door, swinging it open and allowing entrance to the tardy shinobi. Sakura unabashedly stared at Kiba, who quite nonchalantly stood before the Hokage's fierce gaze. Tardiness was never a good thing with her, unless you were Hatake Kakashi, a superior jounin and copy nin. Inuzuka Kiba was no copy nin and he was only a second year jounin.

And yet, for some reason unbeknownst to Sakura, Tsunade let the issue go, turning instead to the mission.

"As you're aware, Inuzuka, I need your tracking skills." Tsunade didn't feel it necessary to tell him that, had Kakashi been available, she would have called upon him instead of the younger and less experienced shinobi, so instead she just commended his skill, which was still rather impeccable, if not quite up to par with the older jounin's. Besides, calling on Kakashi for the task was rather difficult when the jounin was still missing in action; although this fact was unknown to nearly everyone, save herself and a few select higher-ups. And where had the copy nin disappeared? Kumogakure, of course. And why was she sending these two shinobi there? The Inuzuka boy was key to finding the hidden village, while she knew Sakura was more than capable in negotiations, she had after all, trained under Tsunade.

Now, if she could just decide whether or not she wanted to inform them of this fact or not. On one hand, if she didn't tell them, they could be walking into more trouble than they knew, but if she did let them know the full extent of this mission… well, she didn't want to think about her apprentices reaction to that fact.

Shoving her worries to the side in her mind, Tsunade, the Hokage, she had to remind herself, spoke. "I need to tell you the truth behind this mission, you-"

"Shouldn't this be kept to those involved in the mission only, Hokage-sama?" Kiba quipped, brow wrinkled.

Eyes snapping to his face, Tsunade exhaled, "It _is_ kept between those involved in the mission; should you choose to keep quiet, I will tell you what exactly your mission entails, Inuzuka."

Sakura pinched her lips, keeping her laughter hidden. It wasn't that she took any sort of amusement in his chastisement, she was more often than not, the one on the receiving end of that, but his face _had_ been quite comical.

"You two will be traveling to Kumogakure for a very special reason. Over a month ago, Hatake Kakashi himself traveled to Kumogakure, where, I believe, he was capture and is being confined."

"What!" Sakura nearly shouted, snapping to attention.

"Calm yourself Sakura," Tsunade warned before continuing. "Sakura, I'm sending you in my stead. You will act as my liaison; you will carry the scroll. The scroll itself is a teleportation scroll. When the Raikage returns Kakashi to you two, you will activate the scroll, which I will shortly bind to you both, enabling each of you to enact the teleportation."

"And what exactly will come through the teleportation scroll, shishou?" Sakura questioned, quick to the point, as Tsunade guessed she would be.

"Sakura, it might be difficult to understand, but after the defeat of Akatsuki, Konohagakure, being the most powerful and centrally located, was given the responsibility of the tailed beasts. The extracting statue they had, you remember, the one you saw? We destroyed it, but through many arguments and negotiations we agreed to keep the bijuu contained through other less damaging methods. But now, the hidden villages, despite their fear of the tailed beasts, are demanding their return. Some, like Kumogakure, are going to more extreme measures to get what they want."

"Wait. So you're saying we're going to be carrying a tailed beast in our packs?" Kiba blurted out, bewildered. Although the only contact he'd ever had with a tailed beast had been through Naruto and thusly very diluted, the thought of carrying something like that on him…

"Hypothetically, yes, but in all actuality, no. The scroll is only a teleportation scroll. If destroyed, the bridge between the scroll and object to be teleported will be destroyed as well. The scroll mustn't fall into anyone else's hands because they could find a way to bypass even the blood seal I'm going to place on the scroll. Which is also why, if it comes down to it, destroy the scroll, simple as that."

"I'm sure you have many questions but, I'm afraid that's the gist of what I know. Thus, my decision to send the two of you. Kiba, you're one of the best trackers the Inuzuka family has to offer; Sakura, you've got the medical and diplomatic skills needed to persuade the Raikage to hand over Kakashi. Mind you though, we aren't one hundred percent sure that Kumogakure is in fact holding Hatake, but it's our best bet."

"Now," Tsunade began, unlocking and removing a scroll from the top drawer of her desk along with a senbon. "Hands, both of you." She demanded, quickly pricking their fingertips with the sharp tip and unrolling the scroll, intricate lettering and symbols woven around an empty circle on the document. "Now, your blood, here," she said pushing Sakura's bleeding fingertip flush against a symbol and then repeated the action with Kiba's finger, only placing it diagonally from Sakura's and on a completely different character.

Slapping her palms onto the outer edges of the scroll, Tsunade's chakra trailed out, covering both Kiba and Sakura's hands and the entire parchment. Their hands tingled, almost stung, but they kept still. After all, if they couldn't trust their Hokage, who could they trust?

"There; done," the Godaime said matter-of-factly, plopping back into her seat and rolling the scroll back, then slipping it into a hard-shelled case. Tapping the case against her palm, Tsunade looked to Sakura. "You'll pick this up tomorrow before you leave. Now, you're both dismissed."

* * *

As Sakura walked quietly behind Kiba, exiting the Hokage's tower, she found it odd that the jounin was so silent. Quite unlike his usual boisterous and pompous self. Of course, she didn't figure he was too happy, not after their little encounter earlier and his obvious discomfort with her. Oh well, a mission was a mission and put food on the table as well as positive marks on her profile. Mentally she began to create a list of the things she'd need for traveling such a distance and across a mountain range nonetheless. That thought soured her mood quite quickly. She hated the cold, and if she knew any better, they were going through the mountains during one of the coldest seasons. Blankets, blankets would definitely be necessary. Her woolen cloak; snow boots; warm underclothes…

Unknown to Sakura, Kiba's thoughts were moving too quickly for even his mouth at that moment. So, not only did he have to deal with tracking down a village no one knew the whereabouts of, other than it was _somewhere _in the Country of Lightning, but he had to do it with a certain pink-haired kunoichi carrying around a tailed beast in her back pocket. How he got into these things he'd never know, but, what could be done for it? Nothing, that much he could already ascertain.

…spare kunai; toothpaste; toothbrush; a pot and pan…

First, with Sakura tagging along, he'd have to try to find some information. Maybe catch a shinobi from Kumogakure drunk and loose-lipped. Then, he'd have to investigate that tip and if it just so happened to be even minutely accurate, hopefully he'd catch onto some scent that wasn't necessarily where it belonged. Namely Hatake Kakashi's scent. After numerous years of working with Kakashi himself as well as others who frequently mingled with the copy nin, the scent wouldn't be hard to distinguish; at least not for his nose, or Akamaru's. At the thought of his canine companion, Kiba looked about. The mongrel was no where in site, something Kiba was not too happy to discover.

Usually Akamaru stuck to his side, but lately, that was definitely not the case. Mentally smacking himself as he caught two scents trailing along behind him; Kiba momentarily wondered why Sakura was following him. Of course, the answer came to him quickly enough. She did live in the town district next to his own. Naturally she was just taking the quickest route home. And of course… Akamaru, trotting along beside her, tail swishing and creating a mixture of scents. One scent, Akamaru's, already heavily laced with Kiba's odor, and then hers. That aroma so sweet and tangy that he couldn't decide whether or not it came from a bottle or was just her natural scent.

…chocolate; heating pad; tampons, because there was no way she was going to be unprepared should the trip take longer than a month; deodorant…

Halting at the end of Sakura's district, Kiba turned on his heal, facing the kunoichi and Akamaru. She was petting Akamaru again, tangling her fingers in his fur and scratching. Kiba could almost see a smile plastered across the canine's muzzle.

"Come on, Akamaru. We've got plenty of stuff to do before we leave tomorrow. Um, I'll be at the front gate tomorrow at sunset. You'll be ready by then?"

"Of course," she voiced quickly, noting that she'd completely walked past her house, busy with her list and taking comfort in Akamaru close to her side, his big burly form bumping gently against her thigh.

"Akamaru," Kiba said, expectant glare set on his friend. A growling whine issued from his throat, as he skulked over to Kiba. Merely rolling his eyes, he walked off, leaving Sakura to retrace her steps back to the flat she rented.

When they were out of earshot, Kiba grouched, "Stop hanging on her so much, you'll have the whole mission for that anyways, geez."

* * *

New story, new plot, thus I can actually think, haha... I should explain everything again... but I'm too lazy, if you really want to know the gist of what I'm working on now, check my profile... and now... I'm going to bed cause I have to go to work in seven and a half hours and haven't slept yet, haha... Night and enjoy guys! 


	2. Control Provocation

Chapter Two - Control Provocation

* * *

He was late. And his only hope was that Sakura was as well. Maybe the Godaime had held her up while giving the kunoichi the scroll?

Kiba tossed an array of clothes into his pack, mainly multiples of the same items. His regular jounin outfit, which consisted of pitch-black pants that reached past mid calf as well as a light, fairly tight fitting jacket, a netted shirt underneath, customary olive jounin vest, and sensible black sandals. After stuffing a few more personal belongings into his pack, Kiba scrambled into his bathroom, flinging a number of hygienic items in a side pouch.

Before leaving the house that his father and mother had willed him in the Inuzuka sect, Kiba stopped at the hallway closet, digging up another pack, already quite full. This pack he always had ready. It contained regular necessities for a lengthy journey. Tent, various nonperishable rations as well as utensils to cook and eat with, blankets, flashlight, and things he often forgot were even there in the first place, but often found they came in handy on missions.

After securing the two packs together, Kiba ran from the house at top speed, once again knowing that his only hope was the Godaime. This meant he had no hope at all; not when she'd placed him on a mission with Sakura. A mission he could have handled just as easily by himself, if not more so.

Yet here he was, rushing to meet her when he could have left whenever he chose. But he didn't particularly want to push her too hard or set too fast a pace. Not with this girl. He'd seen how her team always protected her and often had to wonder if she even knew how to fight. Which could only make his situation worse. What if they got attacked? Akamaru and he always worked together, he couldn't simply tell Akamaru to only protect Sakura.

Of course, if anything happened to her… well, that wasn't an option, not if he had to return to Konoha and face the rest of the former team seven. Definitely not an option.

Something in the back of Kiba's head told him there was more to there being no alternative when it came to Sakura, but, for now, he could easily ignore that and let it blend in with the rest of the thoughts he often pushed aside. Like his imminent death; not that his was the only death that was unavoidable, but he'd learned to live with the fact that shinobi rarely lived full lives and if they did, they died unhappy because it was always alone. Even Akamaru would be gone if he lived that long; he'd much rather die with his dearest friend. It just made more sense to Kiba.

As he approached the gate, the first thing he noticed was the vivid pink blur of Sakura's hair. She was sitting on ground, back against the stone wall, and feet kicked out in front of her. Head tilted back, slightly to the side, and bright green eyes closed, it was obvious to Kiba that she was dozing, not too mention, of course, her scent; far too relaxed for her to be awake.

So, Kiba was definitely not off to a good start. First he was late. And now he was going to have to wake her up from a nap that was technically his doing. Kiba was never one for tact.

"Yo! Sakura," he practically shouted, squatted down beside her.

Startled into alertness in such a shocking manner caused Sakura's hand to reach for her kunai holster, which Kiba quickly intercepted, grip encircling one slender wrist.

"Don't even…" Kiba warned, eyes locking with Sakura's wide ones.

"Well, if you don't want to get stabbed, maybe you should be a little more subtle when waking someone up because she had to wait for someone who was late for his own date," Sakura snippily replied, while Kiba sputtered.

"D-date?"

"Oh geez, you know what I mean, Kiba. Don't be such a kid," she explained, rolling her eyes all the while. Standing up and brushing the debris off her backside, Sakura glanced skyward, taking in the orange horizon. "Oh well, at least you weren't as late as Kakashi-sensei." Sakura grew solemn at the mention of her friend and mentor's name. Just the thought of something happening to him tore her apart; he was as much a part of her family as Naruto, Tenzou, or even Sai. The four of them meant everything to her and she would take on any shinobi that dare to threaten those bonds.

Kiba's hand before her face knocked her out of her reverie. He held her pack and, what Sakura considered to be an apologetic smile appeared on his face.

"Ready?" He looked at her questionably.

"Yeah," Sakura replied, eyes meeting his before she took her pack in hand and slung it over her shoulders.

* * *

The first thing Kiba learned was that she was quick. Sakura kept pace with him without ever breaking a sweat and often, to his annoyance, bounded ahead of him. Never did she ask to stop and take a break; she didn't even seem to need water. He couldn't say the same for himself.

"Wait, Sakura. We need to stop for a minute," Kiba said with some reluctance.

She quirked a brow at him before replying, "Already?"

"Uh, yeah. Getting dehydrated in the first couple of hours of our trip isn't really my idea of fun. And besides, Hokage-sama said nothing about this being a rush mission. We could walk the whole way and the outcome will still be the same. If they are holding Kakashi for bargaining purposes they aren't going to kill him. And if they aren't holding him for that reason, well, then he could already be dead."

Kiba could have smacked himself for letting those words slip. He knew how much her team meant to her, yet here he was making light of the situation. Of course, that still didn't negate the fact that what he said was true. Not to mention rushing to Kumogakure and wearing themselves out wouldn't put them in a state to fight for Kakashi, if need be.

She'd bitten her lip too harshly when he'd spoke; so hard that it was now bleeding. Kiba could smell the metallic fluid as Sakura exhaled each and every breath, could smell the salty tears that welled up in her eyes but she refused to shed. He had to admire her for that; were it his sensei or his teammates he could easily imagine how upset he would be.

"Fine. Take your water break," Sakura responded snappily, turning to stare at anything but him.

"Shouldn't you have a drink yourself, Sakura? I realize you want to get their quickly, but you still have to take care of yourse-"

"I am. You obviously forget that I'm a medic. I can slow down my body's processes with chakra, that includes how quickly water or oxygen is used. I can't stop it entirely but by a good margin. It's really quiet simple. Redirect the fluid's flow to only the muscles that need it. Same goes for the oxygen. It drastically reduces how much the body wastes as well as utilizes what it does use to its full capacity."

Kiba watched as Sakura spoke, eyes lighting up, hands moving in front of her as she spoke. It wasn't as if he understood what she was explaining; he caught the main drift though. She didn't need water like he did. And, were it not for how excited she looked talking about the processes of her body he would probably tell her to be quiet. But instead, Kiba stood quietly, leaning against a tree and listening to her smooth voice as he drank deeply from his water canister.

At least he now knew why the kunoichi hadn't needed a break, which made him feel a hell of a lot less inadequate. She specialized in medic skills and chakra control; he could track anyone or anything. He could handle that fact.

Sakura glanced in the direction of her teammate; he was staring off into space and she wondered why she'd even thought he'd be interested in the first place. Huffing under her breath at, what she'd clarify as Kiba's arrogance, she said, "Ready?"

Taking one last swig of water, Kiba twisted the cap back into place and nodded before leaping into the trees, Sakura already on his heels.

_Much like the dogs, _he couldn't help but think, the amusement evident on his face.

* * *

Tsunade's head hit the desktop with a thump.

"Shizune!" she snapped at her dark-haired and somewhat exasperating apprentice hiding on the other side of the office door.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," she chirped, flustered and bursting into the room. Only a minute glance to her Hokage and she knew something was on the brash blonde's mind.

"Ts-Tsunade-sama?" Tsunade really didn't want to hear that tone in Shizune's voice; it was the one she'd heard in Jiraiya's as he left on _that _day. It was regret and worry and everything disheartening thrown into a voice. She hated that voice.

"Shizune," the Godaime paused, thinking carefully over her next words, before sighing and muttering, "bring me some sake, would you?"

Normally, Shizune would _never_ give her Hokage the alcoholic beverage while on the job, but she couldn't find it in her heart to deny it today, not with that forlorn look in her shishou's heavy eyes.

Shizune knew why Tsunade was so perturbed. Sakura, who Tsunade viewed as a daughter, had been sent on _that_ mission. Granted she was the best qualified shinobi available. It was still quite obvious the Godaime hadn't wanted to send her, especially since Kakashi was the one missing.

"_Shizune!"_

"Y-yes, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune yelped, quick to leave the room and find some sake.

Finding herself in the tower's supply room, Shizune spoke to a couple of stock attendants. Knowing better than to question the Hokage's right hand, they quickly acquiesced to her request and showed her where a variety of sake was stored. Snatching a favorite of the hostile and weary kunoichi's she rushed from the storeroom.

Shizune rounded a sharp corner, thoughts busy on Tsunade, and she collided with a solid chest, sake bottle falling from her hands to crash on the floor. Ceramic flew all over the wooden floor as it tried to absorb the wet liquid following its crevices.

"Shizune-san! I'm so sorry! I didn't even see you. I guess my head was in the clouds. Let me take care of the mess."

"No, no, Tenzou-san, it's completely my fault. It's just, well, Tsunade-sama, she's so upset; I just, I don't know what to do to calm her." Shizune, her concern overwhelming her, started to sniffle.

Damnit, she cared about Sakura, too, but the girl was a shinobi and she knew what it had meant from the very start. The same went for Tsunade. But the woman hadn't been the same since Jiraiya had come home being carried by ANBU and covered in blood and a cloak. Tsunade had secluded herself for a week in her office, refusing to speak about him. She did her job as Hokage and that was it. Until Naruto had finally broke her. She'd cried so hard while clinging to the younger man; Shizune had watched it all from the doorway Tsunade hadn't known was left open by Naruto when he'd come in, intent on making her let go of Jiraiya.

Tenzou spoke quietly, mindful of the woman's sensitive state, "Shizune-san? Is everything alright?"

"No. Nothing is alright," Shizune was about to make a mistake, she knew it, but she didn't care. If Tsunade could forget protocol then so could she. "Tsunade-sama has reason to believe Kakashi-senpai's being held hostage by Kumogakure and she's sent a two man team out to find and negotiate his return. Haruno Sakura and Inuzuka Kiba are the team. And I'm sure you've seen how Tsunade is with her and I don't know how to help her; if she loses Sakura like she did Jiraiya…" Her voice failed her at that moment and she looked hopelessly up at Tenzou who had squatted down beside her in his effort to clean up the spilled sake covering the floorboards.

"Sakura-chan and Kiba-san, you say?" Shizune paused as Tenzou spoke. He seemed almost… bitter. His gaze snapped to hers, before he asked "Do you know how long they will be gone?"

"No. It just depends on them. I'm sure you know how these missions work, Tenzou-san."

"Yes, yes I do. Excuse me, Shizune-san," Tenzou said, pushing himself up and shuffling down the hallway, head down.

"What the… well, that was weird," Shizune muttered to herself and returning to the storeroom. Once there she ordered a maid to be sent to clean up the spill and broken glass then fetched the sake she needed and raced for the Godaime's office on the top floor of the building, an architectural fact that she always believed was just to hassle those who served the Hokages throughout the years.

Shizune expected a "what took you so long" or some other reprimand from Tsunade, but instead she was greeted with an empty room and a full bottle of sake but no Godaime to drink it.

She sighed heavily before carefully setting the bottle of alcohol in a cabinet and leaving the room in hopes of finding some busy work in the infirmary simply to distract her wondering thoughts.

* * *

He watched as her stamina slowly degraded, chakra slowly being eaten by its constant maintenance inside her body. It didn't mean she was weak, if that's what she was thinking; instead Kiba found her all too amazing. He'd never had much interaction with medics and to know they could do such a thing as survive for a time without water was oddly disturbing.

"It's getting late, erm, early" Sakura blurted, breathing heavier than before. "Tsunade-shishou wants us to lay low for this mission; she thinks Kumogakure will have lookouts on the routes from Konoha. Find us some where to wait out the daylight hours?" Sakura didn't like relying on anyone, not even her boys anymore, but she was tired, time was running short for them to disappear, so to say, and more than likely Kiba could find them somewhere to sleep with just his nose.

Halting their pace, Kiba dropped down to the forest floor littered with debris. Sakura followed, landing softly before squatting to inhale deeply and flip open her water for the first time that day. She smiled gratefully when he gestured for her to stay put and then hopped above her into the trees once more.

He was back within ten minutes.

Kiba found Sakura much like he had earlier that night when he'd been running late, with her legs crossed in front of her and her back propped against a tree trunk.

"Come on, just a few minutes and you can do all of that you want," he said, half laughing and thinking he'd like to do much the same since his muscles were aching. Only two days ago he'd gotten back from another mission. A mission where an ill-timed block had earned him a kunai in the thigh. Medics had quickly patched it up when they'd returned to Konoha, but it still burned and it was beginning to get to him.

Sakura stood up slowly; she placed her hands on her hips and bent backwards, flexing her muscles. Despite himself, Kiba couldn't keep his eyes averted from her nicely protruding chest. The fabric of her crimson shirt stretched tautly over her breasts causing a small sliver of skin to show down at her waistline. He inhaled deeply, hands fisted at his sides while he watched Sakura's unknown display. She smelled like the earth, like flowers and sweat and everything a woman should smell like. He wanted to put his nose to the crook of her neck and suck in all of her scent that he could; he wanted to smell her when she was writhing in pleasure; _he wanted to get these fucking thoughts out of his head_.

He knew very little about her, but he'd be damned if he could deny this attraction to her. His sensitive senses were wreaking havoc on him and he couldn't do a thing about it.

Not only was he unable to dispel the scent of her clinging to the very air surrounding him but he heard her groan softly as her muscles pulled and stretched from their strenuous workout that night.

Entirely different nightly workouts that Kiba would be more than happy to help Sakura with floated around in his head.

"Uh, Kiba?" Sakura looked at him questionably while walking towards him. His eyes were wide and she could see his pulse beating rapidly in his throat, jugular vein throbbing against his skin. He looked half pained half something Sakura couldn't put her hand on. "Is something the matter?"

Kiba's head snapped to the side, his intent fully on cursing this desirable woman in front of him whose scent was so undeniably erotic and tangible to him. But he couldn't, something stopped him; maybe it was the hand that settled on his shoulder and squeezed gently; maybe it was his own instinct refusing to let him hurt her, either way his anger left him.

"No, nothing, Sakura. Follow me, okay?"

Finding his sudden mood swings odd, Sakura did as he asked, while noting that, surprisingly, such drastic changes had been exciting. He was on edge and it put her on edge in a way she'd never been before. If she didn't know better, she'd say there was definitely some tension between them. Could it be from the other day? What had he said again? That she smelled good? How anyone could say that today after hours of running and sweating in a heavily wooded area she had no idea.

With much appreciation Sakura took in the spot Kiba had found for them. It was almost too perfect, too deliberate to just happen upon. A small natural hot spring sat secluded by thick foliage. The large rock outcrops around the pool of water made for sufficient shelter and they'd be warmed by the heat from the spring. But since when did a hot spring not have a bundle of people living around it? It was too rare that new hot springs were found anymore, most were made via human methods, not to mention via very unique jutsu. Perhaps it was just that this particular spring was so small?

Either way, Sakura couldn't detect anyone nearby or signs of someone having been there recently and most likely Kiba didn't smell anything out of sorts or he'd mention it.

She certainly wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste though. It wasn't very often that missions yielded a bath of any sort for her. Maybe a quick icy dip in a cold stream or a scrub with a cloth but never a hot spring that she had to herself, well, almost to herself. But Kiba wouldn't use the hot spring at the same time as her, right?

With her renewed energy and excitement Sakura ducked under one of the small rock overhangs, dropping her pack and unrolling her sleeping bag. Her plan revolved around a nice soak and scrub and then passing out for a good portion of the day before anything else; everything else could be done after she woke up.

Sakura snatched the necessities out of the middle section of her pack. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, towel, and a pair of sandals. She wasn't about to put her boots back on just to walk back to her bed.

Noting with satisfaction that Kiba was busy with his own devices in his own little hollowed out rock, Sakura softly walked to the spring. Concealing herself behind a tree, she checked once more on Kiba still busy with his bag, and stripped off her clothes.

* * *

His eyes were riveted on her boot zipper as the teeth rasped against one another and slid apart at an agonizingly slow pace. Once she had the first black boot removed she dropped her leg and propped the other on the rock before her, repeating the torturous process of revealing her smooth toned calf. When she stood straight again, he lost sight of her behind a hulking tree trunk; a growl of frustration slipped from his mouth before he could silence it. Luckily Sakura was in her own world.

Even if he couldn't see her he could still smell her. He caught the maddening heaviness of her scent when she removed her shirt and bared even more skin. The red top and white bindings were draped over the rocks as he tried to tear the tree to pieces with his smoldering gaze. Next came her khaki medic skirt. He nearly doubled over trying to suppress the desire that tore through him when she slid her tight black shorts off.

As if her regular scent wasn't enough she was excited about something. The bath most probably, a thought that had him laughing awkwardly from Sakura's position. He was laughing at a rock wall as she saw it.

All the women Kiba had been around got excited for entirely different reasons. Sakura was definitely an exception among women. Stronger than most men, definitely more intelligent, and with some very interesting quirks, quirks Kiba wanted to learn more about. Did her scent grow headier when she was excited over something other than a bath?

Kiba snapped into alertness when her scent was muddled, muted, and dulled. He was already rushing towards her hiding spot before he realized she'd just settled into the mineral laced water of the spring, thus her change in scent. He didn't like it. And that was a fact he didn't take kindly to. He couldn't expect to always have her scent clinging to and around him not unless, of course…

_Shit._ His mind was wandering again, dragging him into that Sakura-scented haven.

_Kami, it's never been this bad before. It's never been like this with any one but her._

It was too stressful trying to control himself around her at yet he wanted to, for her sake, for his sake. He didn't want her to see him as some sex-crazed animal. He refused to let her scent get the better of him and still, even as he made these claims to himself, he wanted to be near her. Kiba wanted to know her in every sense. Hear her voice, taste her skin, touch her hair, her face, rub his nose against her throat and inhale her essence, he wanted to sit and watch her as she relaxed in the warm water, her eyes shut in gentle pleasure and her skin flushed and warmed.

And damnit he would. And if her fist was his punishment for doing so, then so be it. At least it would be another touch from her.

Kiba trotted back to his hollowed out shelter and dug through the extra duffle he'd brought and found a small towel to wrap around his waist securely as well as a larger more absorbent one.

Unzipping his jacket, he tossed it to the ground, flipping his shoes off in the process. Next he jerked the mesh shirt over his head, adding it to the small pile he'd started. He glanced in Sakura's direction, the only sign that she was still there her pink haired head resting on the rock side of the spring, before removing the rest of his clothes and twisting the smaller towel about his waist and knotting it in place on his slim pale hips.

He walked quietly; it wasn't his goal to scare her out of her relaxation. He just _needed_ to see her in that calm state, so unlike most of what he'd ever seen of her.

She was obviously quite tired as she didn't even stir when he slipped into the warm water. A sigh escaped him as he, too relaxed.

Sakura's eyes shot open in quiet alarm before she locked gazes with Kiba.

* * *

-dies- sleeeeepppppppp... goodnight and enjoy... I sure did, haha 


	3. Wanted Mistranslation?

Wanted Mistranslation?

* * *

Dark brown eyes stared calmly into panicked emerald ones before sliding shut in relaxation and letting the warm spring water sooth Kiba's tired muscles. So what if Sakura's anger was palpable and he could swear her glare was rending his flesh from the bone; this felt right. Being near her felt natural and his instincts screamed at him to be close in case something should happen.

Sakura felt her mouth drop open at his indignant behavior. He'd ignored her obvious perturbation as well as her seething glare. Sure, she couldn't deny the fact that he probably also rarely got the chance for a soak in a hot spring, nor could she deny the fact that he was actually being quite polite about her state of undress by keeping his eyes shut or before, when open, on her face. She could deny neither of those things, just like she couldn't deny the fact that his upper body, half drenched from the spring water and half beaded with perspiration from the heat emanating from said water looked _really _good. His dark hair, slightly longer than when she usually saw him, curled at the nape of his neck, clinging to the damp skin there. Of course none of that could excuse the fact that she was naked, as was he, and yet there he sat, little more than waist deep in only _slightly_ cloudy water.

"What do you think you're doing, Inuzuka," Sakura growled, teeth clenched.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Haruno?" Kiba unwisely taunted the short-tempered kunoichi with words similar to her own all the while keeping his body relaxed and his eyes shut.

"Yes, but… but," Sakura found herself at a loss of words. What excuse could she give that wouldn't make her seem childish? Hadn't she told Kiba earlier to act more mature? She could handle this in an adult manner surely rather than relying on her chakra-laden fists. "Fine then," Sakura said, haughtily, chin stubbornly thrust forward, "if you don't have a problem with it, neither do I. But don't think for a second that you're going to see me climb out of here naked."

Kiba scoffed, although inwardly his mind was reeling with the possibility of seeing such a thing. "As if I'd want to."

"Why you…" Letting the beginning of her rant trail off, Sakura instead focused on ridding herself of the filth her skin and hair had collected during their running that day. Nabbing her travel sized shampoo bottle, she snapped the lid open and poured a generous amount of the scented cleanser into her palm. Keeping her palm cupped, Sakura was, once again, grateful for the spring. It was deep enough that she could slide under the water easily without having to reveal any skin to the dog sitting across from her. Emerging from the water, eyes clenched shut and blowing the warm liquid from her lips, Sakura began to lather her pastel locks into a soapy mess.

Feeling she could safely open her eyes now, without the mineral rich water running into them and burning, Sakura popped them open. Her gaze was immediately drawn to Kiba, still lax and unobserving. That, at least, was a relief. Especially when her gaze couldn't seem to avert itself from the lean muscled man lounging a few feet away. As a medic, her mind was naming off each muscle as it twitched in his upper torso and arms. Biceps, deltoids, lateral triceps, pectoralis major, platysma; even lower the abdominal obliques and lower... Of course, at this point, a part of Sakura was aware that these muscles were not all twitching, in fact only Kiba's left bicep was twitching, but her eyes still maintained their unfaltering stare.

Subconsciously her fingers still deftly scratched at her scalp and, being quite distracted with her eye candy, Sakura missed the downward progressing blob of soap heading for her wide eyes.

"Damnit!" the curse slipped past her lips as she groped behind her for her towel. "Damnit, damnit, damnit!"

"What's your problem?" Kiba barked, eyes finally snapping open. He immediately regretted that action. Sakura still sat in the water, but she was twisted around reaching for something. Her neck was bared as her hair was mussed up into a wet and soapy bun. Her skin was rosy and moist from the warm water and Kiba itched to slide his fingers across that skin, to nuzzle his nose into the crook between her smooth shoulder and tender neck. Now was probably not the time to be thinking such things though, since she seemed to be in a rather annoyed state.

"Where's that damned towel!"

Once again, despite Kiba's best effort to maintain his distance and keep his wits about him, he moved closer to the kunoichi, slipping through the heated water until he was close enough to feel the ripples in the water from her movements.

Far too distressed due to the incessant burning in her eye and her misplaced towel, Sakura didn't even feel Kiba's approach. Of course, that all changed when he leaned in close to her, toned chest pressing against her bare back and hand sliding over her arm. Her entire body stiffened at the touch, something so unwelcome yet so incredibly… delicious. She couldn't be sure, but for the briefest instant, she thought she felt the tip of his nose skim across the tender skin of her throat before soft cotton fabric was pressed to her face and wiping the suds away from her eyes.

Something inside of Kiba had snapped, some instinct in him that he'd been able to pacify throughout the years due to distance from this scent, from her; his control had completely dissipated at this close proximity.

Eyes wide open and free of the stinging invasive liquid, Sakura prepared to give Kiba a piece of her mind, even if her body was telling her to shut it. But instead she half gasped, half shrieked at the sharp incisors that dug into her shoulder blade as Kiba's hands gripped her upper arms holding her in place.

"Ki-Kiba… wha- why? Mmmh," she couldn't even form a coherent sentence, which irked her beyond belief. Why was he doing this? Since when had he any interest in her. Anymore, men in general had no interest in her, and she certainly didn't have an interest in them. Being turned down by Sasuke had hurt badly, but, with a lot of help from Naruto and other friends, she'd rebounded eventually. Of course, developing an attachment for a certain infinitely unattached man wasn't in her best interest, but, about a year ago, she'd done just that.

Flattered, Tenzou had let her down gently; he'd understood what she was going through, having been through that stage of his life already, but he was simply not someone Sakura should involve herself with beyond missions and perhaps friendship. At least that's what he'd told her. Sakura figured it was more likely he thought she was ugly or stupid or some other fault of hers. The worst part about it all had been that Tenzou had still maintained the same attitude towards her as before, which is what had softened her towards him in the first place. So, while she then knew he romantically wanted nothing to do with her, her fantasies still plagued her, much like dreams of Sasuke.

Men, she decided, were simply not worth it. Training, being an amazing kunoichi, those were what she would make matter the most to her. Yet here she found herself hoping for more, something she'd sworn time and time again she didn't want, something that would only hurt in the end.

His nose was definitely pressed against her throat now, and she could hear his deep breathing, knew exactly what he was doing. He was_smelling_ her. Now, Sakura herself had never been the one with an incredible sense of smell, but Kakashi certainly had it, and she'd been around Kakashi enough to know that with that acute a sense, Kiba wasn't smelling her because she stank. For that, she was glad. But that didn't negate the fact that his bare skin was pressed to hers and that they were both devoid of clothing. And, of course, that it was _Kiba_ that was with her.

She'd looked at Inuzuka Kiba in only two ways from the time she'd met him until a few short days ago in a clearing where he'd unwittingly admitted being partial to whatever smell she seemed to emit. The first view she'd had of him was akin to her view of Naruto in the beginning. Hot-headed, goofy, and obnoxiously boisterous. Of course, he'd only been twelve or so at the time. She'd rarely seen him during her training, and almost never between her chunnin years and becoming a jonin, but afterwards she'd been placed on a number of missions with the boy, although never alone. And during those missions she gained a certain respect for him, much as she had for Naruto.

Really, the situation, for Sakura, was simply awkward, namely because she was still fairly unfamiliar with Kiba. He was somewhat of an enigma to her, what with his canine attributes and all. But she certainly couldn't deny that, however awkward this situation was, it felt _good_.

Terribly tempted to give in to whatever Kiba wanted, Sakura tried to focus her mind, tried to overrule her body while Kiba's mouth was still latched to her shoulder and his nose was still nuzzled against her damp skin…

And that was how Akamaru found them.

"Oi! Kiba! Since when do you leave me behind on missions?" Akamaru, were he a human, would have been wearing the most shit-eating grin ever as he spoke, seemingly unsurprised at the sight before him.

Kiba issued an incoherent warning in the form of a growl at Akamaru as well as in respect to the pheromones he could smell seeping from Sakura's skin. Not that she knew her scent was driving him mad, but it definitely was having an adverse affect on his demeanor. His head was spinning and his body seemed to thrum with energy; he couldn't even force himself to release his hold on her.

Where Sakura had previously been somewhat intrigued and hesitantly sinking into Kiba's grasp, Akamaru's appearance had her perturbed for more than one reason. Firstly, she considered both herself and Kiba to be fine shinobi, yet neither of them had noticed the approach of Akamaru, and if they hadn't heard him, what else might they have missed? Secondly, she was embarrassed; now not only was she flushed because of Kiba's attentions, but because a certain canine was staring quite intently at the scene presented to him, his head quirked to the side. The growling that issued from Kiba's spot behind her only made matters worse and Sakura deemed it high time she put a stop to her discomfiture.

It was only a small matter of focusing a jolt of chakra to the juncture of her skin and Kiba's teeth, and then releasing that chakra in the form of a minute shock. Not powerful enough to actually hurt him, but enough to remove him from her person.

And remove him it did. As soon as Kiba felt the chakra seer his lips, he jerked backwards, pushing against the stones beneath his feet in order to put some distance between himself and Sakura. As Kiba immediately vacated the spring with a murmured "sorry" Sakura took note of the wet towel still secured about his hips slapping wetly against his calves and, embarrassingly enough, a rather prominent erection straining against the heavy cloth.

Still quite flustered she watched Kiba make his hasty retreat, his usual smooth stride broken by a limp. Being a medic, she instantly knew which leg was the problem, though why, she couldn't tell…_yet_. Why she felt the need to help him, Sakura couldn't fathom, especially after the humiliation he'd just caused her. But, it simply wouldn't do to have an injured teammate; it would slow their travel during the night hours. And, being a medic it simply made sense. It certainly didn't have anything to do with_wanting_ to help Kiba, wanting to take care of him.

For the time being though, Sakura decided she would take advantage of her privacy, which had been so thoroughly violated, to finish her bath. This time without suds in her eyes or a nearly naked man at her back.

* * *

Kiba only wished his little hollowed out shelter had some form of a door so that he could hide himself from Sakura for the rest of the mission, as if that was even possible. The jonin contemptuously glared at the rock wall he was facing, his thick sleeping roll beneath his now fully clothed body and back towards the spring and, unfortunately, a still bathing Sakura. He knew she was still in the water, her scent muted but nonetheless sweet. He didn't _want_ to know that, didn't want to think about her bare skin damp and warm against his own just a short while ago.

His skin flushed even thinking of Akamaru staring so calmly at his behavior, as if Kiba himself were a dog thus such was to be expected. It embarrassed him and pissed him off at the same time. How could he help it? Her scent seemed to pull him in, no matter what Sakura was doing. Running, sweating, he loved it. Bathing, sweet, he loved it, wanted it. But he'd be damned before he simply took it. He_wasn't a dog_. And he was going to prove it to himself if it killed him.

* * *

"Yo." Kiba felt the toe of a shoe wriggling into his lower back and rolled over. Sakura stood straight-backed, hands braced against the overhanging rock. "You want something to eat?" she asked, eyes never leaving his face. "I made some ramen." A bad habit she'd picked up from Naruto often showed itself on missions. Although she wasn't nearly as obsessive when it came to ramen, but she certainly liked it more than ever before.

"Sure," Kiba acquiesced, also keeping his gaze focused on her pleasant face, noting the small curve of her rosy lips upon his reply.

Kiba was surprised to find the sun high in the sky filtering through the trees surrounding them. How long had he been asleep? Kiba hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep, although, now that he thought about it, he hadn't been aware of Sakura's movements before she dug her toe into his back.

He followed her, figuring she'd give him whatever she saw fit, which he figured to be a poisoned cup of cold ramen. Why did it seem her hips only swayed more provocatively when his eyes settled on her rear? And her hair surely wasn't always so soft and shiny as it was with the slivers of filtered sunlight settling between the pastel locks. Kiba's step nearly faltered when those pink locks flipped to the side and Sakura's green gaze landed on him.

"After we eat… you're going to let me take a look at your leg. I'll heal it, and then I won't have to worry about you during the rest of this mission." She commanded in a no-nonsense tone that could have easily surpassed the Godaime's.

"M-my leg?" Kiba uttered, before feigning ignorance. "There's nothing wrong with my leg."

"Liar." Sakura said bluntly, quirking a single pale brow. "Don't try to make of fool of me, Inuzuka Kiba. You _will _let me heal it… unless you want me to _not_ forget about that little incident earlier."

She'd definitely been around men too long. Far more straightforward than other women and devilishly smart, she knew exactly what to do to gain his compliance. Unfortunately, he minded neither of those aspects in her rather they only amplified his partiality for her.

"Fine." Kiba, once again, found himself simply doing as she said and now noticing where he stood. Right outside of Sakura's own little shell of a rock. Obviously while Kiba had still been asleep, she'd set up her own modest resting spot and even lit a small fire, stocking it with wood that produced little smoke. Impressive, he had to admit, since, on most recon missions, it usually took his nose to find those types of wood. And over the fire was a makeshift platform where a pot of noodles simmered.

"So," Sakura said as she dug through a smaller pack that had apparently been hidden in her larger one throughout the night and their travel. "What kind of ramen do you want? Pork? Miso? Chicken? I bet you're more of a beef kind of guy, right?" she added merely to break the silence, while still shuffling through the different flavor packets in the bottom of her sustenance pack, or so she liked to call it.

"Whatever is fine with me, Sakura." Kiba quietly interjected, watching her brow wrinkle in consternation.

"You know, I had a mission with Naruto a week or so ago. He always eats the beef ramen I have. He knows I'm not big on it, but I like buying the variety pack." Laughing all the while, Sakura grabbed a couple of chicken flavored packets from her bag and moved closer to the fire. "You don't mind chicken?"

Kiba shook his head, taking care not to stare too intensely at her cutely quirked head and questioning gaze. Sakura tore the packets open and deposited their contents directly into the steaming noodles and water.

"Now, since Naruto always insists the ramen tastes better if you let the flavors soak into the noodles, let me have a look at that leg."

Kiba audibly groaned and started, "Really, it's nothing. It's really-"

"Just let me see it!" Sakura groused, as she strode towards him.

"I'm trying to tell you, you don't need to bother." Kiba insisted, prodding at his sore thigh. "See? It's fine."

Sakura sighed, "Please. It's not a bother and I'd feel a lot better if you'd just let me take care of it."

_Damnit all, _Kiba inwardly whined. She looked sad. Did she have to look so downhearted because he didn't want her close? Didn't want to have her hair right under his nose, demanding he smother himself in it?

Kiba's own sigh rent the air between them. "Fine."

* * *

She really should have thought this through more. Somehow, she was going to have to touch it. Going through his clothing would only waste chakra as it always took more. And she couldn't just tell him to take his pants off like she did to patients at the hospital. He'd probably skulk back to his bedroll if she did that.

Why couldn't it be easy? With Naruto, she merely had to imply she wanted him to do something and he would. Kakashi always knew what she needed before she herself did. Tenzou, well, Tenzou would usually just coerce it out of her. And Sai just _liked_ to make things purposely awkward, which, in the end, made things rather comfortable despite his goal. But what could she do with Kiba?

Sakura was still unsure as to what had even happened in the spring. It wasn't something she could simply dig through scrolls to figure out; hell, she wasn't even sure if she _wanted_ to figure it out.

He was still standing; that certainly wouldn't do. It flexed the leg muscles too much for her to be able to feel what was damaged. Although from the way he walked, she could already tell it was his thigh causing the problem, which could also be blamed for _her_immediate problem; how to get to his thigh.

Trying to think of how Tsunade would handle the situation, Sakura was unaware of how intently Kiba was watching her.

* * *

Her pheromones were going crazy, she was upset about something and it was bugging him. Of course, it was difficult to remedy a situation when he didn't even know what that situation was. It obviously had something to do with healing him. Was she afraid to even touch him after his display earlier?

_Display?_ Kiba scoffed. _More like attack._

That wasn't right either, though. He didn't smell fear, just… anxiety.

He figured now was as good a time as any to show her he wasn't a primal animal that went crazy any random moment.

"What do I need to do to you?" The words slipped from his lips before he could thoroughly think them through.

_Fuck!_ Kiba's only hope was that she'd suddenly gone deaf.

"What?" Sakura asked, startled. "What did you say?"

"Uh, I-I meant that, uh-"

"Sorry, I should have been paying better attention. But, I was just thinking, er, well..." Sakura apologetically glanced at her dark-haired teammate.

_Thank Kami! _Somehow, she really hadn't noticed his blunder.

"I just thought you looked… like you were waiting, so I asked what you needed me to do." Kiba said, shrugging.

"Well, that's the thing. I don't know how I'm going to look at your leg, with, well, with pants covering it." Her cheeks grew flush and for some odd reason, thoughts of Kiba's bare chest against her back filtered into the forefront of her mind. Forcing herself to keep eye contact with Kiba's unfaltering stare was difficult, but she was a medic and in all honestly, the thought of Kiba less than half naked shouldn't even have fazed her. But, as always, things were easier said, or not said in this case, than done.

"Just tell me what you need me to do, Sakura."

Sakura's green eyes widened at Kiba's implications. The innuendo behind his words was definitely not lost on her. Becoming a woman and being around Kakashi and his kind, namely one Shiranui Genma, wouldn't allow it. The question was… did she need anything from Kiba? Did she _want_ anything from him?

* * *

I'm totally awful, I know... this. chapter. took. FOREVER. And, I have no comments on it, really... but, out of curiosity... do any of you guys read fanfic author main pages? Cause, I keep fairly updated tabs of what I'm doing on a story and how far along a chapter is... and if no one even reads it... what the heck am I doing it for? haha... anyway... as always, Enjoy! 


	4. Open Invitation

Chapter Four - Open Invitation

* * *

"Sakura," Kiba repeated, voice dripping with something Sakura couldn't quite define but was inevitably effective.

"I-I-I just want to see your leg, Kiba." Somehow, she'd managed to spit the words out, even if they weren't necessarily true to her thoughts.

"'Kay," Kiba replied in a suddenly nonchalant tone, much to her annoyance. How could he just turn it on and then off so damned quickly? That was something Sakura meant to find out… eventually. But right now, she just wanted to fix his leg, eat, and then take a nap before nightfall and inevitably more running.

Without a moments hesitation, Kiba had divested himself of his pants, leaving him in only a pair of almost tight boxers which Sakura had been subjected to many times as Naruto called them "the perfect shinobi underwear" as they didn't hinder movement and were convenient to wear when outer clothing got wet or dirty. At least that was his argument every time she caught him sporting his ramen patterned pair.

"I need you to sit down," Sakura commanded, rolling her eyes as most "patients" knew that, at least, was required. "But don't sit in the dirt, it's not _that_ sanitary. Pick one of those big rocks over there while I get something."

Sakura moved to grab her medic hip-holster from inside her shelter and then made her way over to Kiba, who now sat, rather carelessly, on a fairly flat boulder. Squatting down and placing herself at eyelevel with Kiba's thigh, Sakura could have punched him. For a man, he had some nice skin. Lightly tanned, even located where it was, and covering lean, well-toned muscles that jumped at her initial touch.

It was already obvious what had happened. Kunai wounds were quite common among shinobi and usually were easily repaired but this one looked bad even after someone had apparently tried to heal it, most likely a student medic, who often just didn't have the chakra control necessary yet. It looked painful and for some odd reason, Sakura hated it. Hated that it marred the skin there and the red tint it lent to Kiba's flesh.

Whoever had given him the wound certainly took care to cause him agony; just by looking Sakura could tell the kunai had been viciously twisted in Kiba's muscle, tearing, cutting the taunt ligaments and tendons. She wondered if she could handle an injury like that so well. He'd been running all night, and the few times they'd stopped he'd only taken enough time to hydrate himself then they'd pressed on.

"Well?" Kiba spoke above her, voice interrupting her train of thought.

"Hmm? Well, whoever this handiwork belongs to should rethink their talent as a medic unless they just started training." Sakura mumbled, still annoyed at the wound.

Kiba scoffed. "Doesn't matter; they stopped the bleeding, that's all I needed."

Rolling her eyes at his manly display, Sakura set to work, sending chakra to her fingertips and into Kiba's thigh. Firstly, she needed to undo a good portion of what had been healed improperly; muscle reconnected to muscle, tendon with tendon. She weaved her chakra among his flesh, lacing pieces back together painlessly and working towards his skin. She certainly wouldn't leave it to scar like it surely would have before her effort. Double checking her work before declaring everything finished, as she didn't figure this was going to become a common occurrence between the two of them, Sakura finally wove Kiba's skin back together. Smoothing one finger over the previously mottled skin a smile graced Sakura's face.

"See? Not so bad, eh?"

Kiba had to admit, it was damned impressive. Not only had all the burning stopped, but there was no sign of his leg having ever been injured. It was just smooth, undamaged skin and one very feminine hand still lingering on his thigh.

On some strange whim, Kiba, quite unlike himself, placed his own rougher hand on top of Sakura's, grasping it and lightly squeezing before he smirked, crimson markings prominent on his cheeks and quietly said, "Thanks."

Wide-eyed and still crouched down beside Kiba, Sakura wasn't sure what to make of this odd display of… what could she call it? Gratitude? Affection? Either way, it was definitely not something Kiba would normally do, and she had to wonder if he hadn't hit his head on the rock he was sitting on.

Nodding slowly, Sakura turned her head upwards, fully intent on telling him it was no problem and that she, in fact, felt better now, but instead she was met with something not altogether unexpected.

His mouth was on hers before she had a chance to speak, his hands in her hair before she could move. And Sakura couldn't quite bring herself to dislike this attention, this desire even if she knew she should. Unfortunately for that desire, Kiba had no intentions of taking it any further at that moment. If he was going to prove he wasn't a dog to Sakura, half raping her after she'd done him a favor certainly wouldn't leave a good impression on her.

Pulling back sharply and sliding his tongue over one sharp incisor, Kiba, eyes shut, drank in her scent that trailed after him as he moved away.

Unknowingly, Sakura tried to follow his mouth as he moved away from her, although, with his abrupt movements, her effort to maintain the tenuous kiss was wasted; he was on his feet before she even had a chance to grab him and drag him back to her. Her common sense was telling her it was for the better, that she'd be an idiot to _want_ to kiss Inuzuka Kiba, but the woman in her was screaming for him to get his ass back over there and kiss her properly.

"The ramen's gonna get cold," Kiba said blithely, jerking on his loose-fitting black pants, and then grabbing one of the two bowls and a set of chopsticks Sakura had set out earlier. Now, Kiba wasn't one to be intentionally rude, but nor was he intentionally kind, but at that moment he found himself serving Sakura; he ladled her bowl full of noodles and broth then jabbed the chopsticks into the food and carried it over to the kunoichi, now settled on the same rock he'd just been on. Grabbing the remaining bowl, he filled it as well, before walking back towards her and setting down a foot or so from her on another rock. He then proceeded to feed himself, much to Sakura's relief, with manners a large fraction better than Naruto's.

"Kiba," Sakura haltingly said chopsticks and noodles poised below her mouth.

"Hmm?" As always, he seemed so relaxed and unconcerned that whatever Sakura had been hesitant to say sunk right to the pit of her stomach.

"Does it smell like rain to you?"

Kiba bit his tongue. Of course it smelled like rain, once he stopped focusing on her scent it was an easily distinguished fact. "Yeah, guess I was too busy smelling the food," he laughed nervously causing Sakura to snicker for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, she'd just thought he was never nervous, now, obviously not true; secondly, it was ramen, ramen was not _that _incredible, even if she and Naruto found it quite satisfying; lastly and most amusing, she could think of something else he might have been busy sniffing.

"Oi! What's so funny? I can't be hungry?" He was embarrassed, that much she could tell, even with his angry façade.

"I suppose…" Sakura smiled widely and busied herself with her ramen.

They sat quietly eating their ramen for a few minutes and listened as the rain clouds approached, hearing the rumble of the clouds colliding in their frenzy to get where they were going. Sakura sighed; shinobi's would never have lives like storm clouds. Silence and stealth were their saving grace. If they barreled in somewhere making such noise, they'd be dead in an instant. Of course, that was a fact Sakura had resigned herself to. She'd seen too many shinobi losses to be unaware of such things. There was glory and pride and there was simply despair that came with the life of a shinobi. Sakura felt like she'd lost her chance at love by becoming a shinobi, she couldn't be what a man wanted, she could never just stay still, could never watch as the one she loved went off to fight and she cowered in a corner. She would never be that girl again. But her heart still yearned for it; still wanted love, still wanted to give it. It _needed_…

"Sakura… I suggest if you don't want to get wet that you get out of the open," Kiba offered, taking her empty ramen bowl from her hands and placing his own inside it. Grabbing one of her now-free hands in his own, he pulled Sakura to her feet and tugged her along behind him. For some reason, she seemed dazed, almost sad, something that Kiba wanted to remedy but didn't know how, so he did the only thing he knew how to do. He took charge.

Pausing for a second to set the bowls beside the empty cooking pot and dwindling fire, Kiba continued on towards Sakura's small stone shelter, guiding her inside and onto her blankets where she finally seemed to come back to herself, eyes clearing, focusing on his worried face hovering over her.

"I like these," Sakura commented, fingertip tapping against Kiba's cheek. Feeling the heat creeping over his face, Kiba swallowed hard, before leaning back on his knees.

"Thanks." No one had ever commented on his markings before and he certainly wouldn't think anyone would really like them outside of the Inuzuka clan. After all, outsiders never understood the importance of the marks, never understood that to have them meant you were a part of something, part of their tightly woven family.

Her gaze, before focused on the blood red streaks on his cheeks, now met his. "Do you like the rain?"

"Yeah, it's nice," he didn't know what to say to her, didn't know how to tell her he could care less about the rain right then, her words resounding in his mind consumed him.

"Do you want to go out in it?"

"Huh?" Kiba simply wasn't following her logic on this one.

"Do you want to go to your own bedroll?"

His spirits flattened. She wanted him out.

"'Cause, I have extra blankets. And that way you wouldn't have to get wet or anything. It sounds like it's coming down pretty hard. I wouldn't mind. I'd like the company."

Kiba wasn't sure if that meant she would tolerate any company at that moment or if it was just his she sought; either way, he wasn't about to complain, although he feared her scent might overcome him again. But it didn't compare with his need to be close to her.

Sitting up, Sakura scooted off her sleeping bag, unzipping the thickly padded item and flipping it open, creating two sleeping spots rather than her single one. She then grabbed her pack and pulled out two woolen blankets.

"Um… they aren't the warmest by themselves. We might have to share." Sakura could feel her cheeks flush and almost ruined her composure when Kiba's mouth fell open. If she didn't do this now… well, she might never have the courage to do so again. If even for a moment, she wanted to be something to someone, more than just a teammate, more than a friend, more than a medic.

Kiba now found himself being guided… straight onto _her_ sleeping mat. He lay stiffly on his back, catching each of her movements, not with his eyes, but with his nose. Every time she twisted, a fresh wave of her scent greeted his nose, every time she shook a blanket loose, it assaulted him. But soon enough, she too was lying flat on her back, mere inches separating them in the dimly lit shelter, the clouds blocking out the sunlight and fire squelched long ago from the onslaught of rainwater.

He reveled in the feel of her body heat soaking into his left side and shifted closer, brushing his bare arm against hers. Kiba still couldn't believe how soft her skin was, he'd love to touch it leisurely, rather than in "accidental" brushes, and intoxicated and incoherent outbursts. Through sheer willpower he kept himself from running his fingers down the length of her arm, from lacing his fingers through hers and dragging her wrist to his face. Whether he wanted to taste her skin again or simply get another inebriating inhalation he didn't know.

"Kiba… I-I don't mind," Sakura uttered quietly.

Was he so obvious? He certainly didn't think Sakura had some unique ability to read minds.

"What?" Kiba had to ask. He didn't want to assume things, didn't want to let his hopes get the better of him.

"That you like the way I smell… b-but do you mind if I ask what it is exactly that I smell like?"

Kiba nearly groaned. How could he explain to her something he couldn't even explain to himself?

"I wouldn't have a problem telling you if I knew," Kiba said, somewhat anxious. He didn't want to upset her.

"Hmm," was Sakura's only response before she grew quiet, thinking intently. "What… what if I let you smell me?"

His previously contained groan now spilled from his lips. Did she really just say she'd _let_ him smell her. Not as if he couldn't smell Sakura just fine from the few inches he was from her, but to put his nose to her flesh and inhale… his hand flew to his forehead as another groan slipped past his clinched teeth.

A single brow of Sakura's arched, which Kiba missed due to the lack of light. "Does that mean you don't want to?" she giggled, slowly and inadvertently lowering her front, letting her inner self out of hiding.

Her amusement ended abruptly when Kiba, not about to miss out on such a chance by a mere misunderstanding, rolled atop her, pinning her to the ground, nose pressed to the warm skin of her throat.

No wonder she'd never heard of Kiba being involved with any women. What he'd just done would scare the shit out of most of them. His feral movements and noises were enough to cause her own heart to flutter nervously, like a mouse at the mercy of an ornery cat. If she held still long enough, maybe it'd leave her for dead. Except Kiba was no cat; he was a man, an attractive, enticing, exciting man. Most men couldn't temper her anger, couldn't hold their own against her, but, she didn't figure Kiba would have a problem with that at this rate.

Sakura's hands fisted in her sleeping bag as he nuzzled behind her ear, moist breath splaying across the back of her neck. And then she felt the rough slide of his tongue on her earlobe, a sharp incisor's scrape and her hands were on his shoulders, fingers digging into his netted shirt and skin. She couldn't stop this, didn't want to stop this. She didn't want to be alone her whole life, so, if for a short period of time, even one day, even one hour she could be with him, with feral, intense, desirable Kiba, she would.

Even though his mouth was now busy placing wet sloppy kisses over the side of her neck, Kiba's hands were immobile where they were now. Surprisingly sweet of him, he was holding his weight off of her, hands planted on either side of her head. But she wanted his hands free, movable. So, looping her legs behind his knees and then moving her arms to pull downwards on his locked elbows, his brace faltered. Before he could collapse onto her, Sakura rolled the two of them over, now hovering above Kiba, whose eyes seemed to glow up at her. Feral was definitely a good word to describe those eyes at that moment. And Sakura loved it.

Exhilarated by his desire for her, Sakura leaned her chest onto his, mouth inches from Kiba's before she whispered, "So, what do I smell like, Kiba?"

His hands were erratically squeezing her thighs and he grinned, two sharp fangs bared. "Right now, Sakura, you smell like you're enjoying yourself."

Sakura rolled her eyes slightly. "That's not a smell, Kiba."

"Then, maybe I just can't explain how you smell. But tell me, does it really matter? You already know _I_ love it."

Somehow, Sakura would get an answer before the end of this mission, but for now, she had to admit he had a point. Pressing her lips to his, Sakura felt his hands slide around to the backs of her thighs and grip her flesh tightly, causing her to gasp into his mouth, much to his approval, as she could tell by the low growl in his throat that drove her crazy. Her hands, moving of their own accord, found their way into his hair, fingers tangling in the short strands as best they could, blunt nails pressed to his scalp.

Kiba couldn't believe this was happening. His fingertips dug into her well-rounded rear while her own scratched his scalp, something he'd been quite envious of Akamaru for the other day. He could prove he wasn't a dog this way, he mused. He might be a little eager, but he certainly wouldn't treat her like Akamaru did his bitches.

She couldn't breathe; their mouths were locked together, his hands were grinding her into him and she simply couldn't form a coherent thought. She was going to die; she couldn't handle the sensations that were coursing through her body, every jolt that hit her when he bucked his hips into hers, every time his tongue tapped against her own had her torn before sheer agony and a complete euphoria.

If she'd know she was this pent up, she would have done something about it _before_ this mission. But as it was, she hadn't, and now she was stuck with this surprising attraction for Inuzuka Kiba, who she was now pressing wholly into, rocking her hips with his own frantic motions. This was the most intimate she'd been with anyone at any point in her life… and it was someone she barely knew. It hurt, but it was exhilarating at the same time.

Kiba had traded sucking on her bottom lip for nibbling on her earlobe, where she felt his soft pants that sent shivers down her back and his hands were pulling at the hem of her shirt, successfully revealing a small patch of pale skin on her lower back that he proceeded to palm. She felt like silk; it made him want to drag his tongue across her skin, every inch of it. But, if she let him, he'd be doing this to her quite often after their mission was complete. And if she didn't let him? Well, he'd simply have to deal with that when the time came, because there was absolutely no way Kiba would be able to avoid her after this. Her scent clung to him; it was a part of the netted fabric of his shirt now; it clutched at each and every strand of his hair. But the thing that made him grin most, that made a low and possessive growl issue from his throat was the fact that his scent was attaching itself to _her._ Her throat, where he'd so diligently been working now held a touch of his own muskier aroma.

Somehow, in some odd and unexpected way, he'd lost himself in her. Maybe it was only in her scent, maybe it was the cute little way she tilted her head when she smiled, maybe it was her intellect that drew him, so unlike himself, or maybe it was a little bit of everything, but he'd certainly never been this content, never been so sure of what he wanted. He wanted her scent, he wanted his scent covering her, he wanted the two to mingle and intertwine; it was the only thing he ever wanted to tickle his acute sense of smell in his lifetime.

Kiba wasn't against the idea, itself, but more of what came with it. Especially since he had no idea what Sakura was really like. He'd seen her enough to know she was an amazing kunoichi, heard enough from Naruto and everyone else who'd come into contact with her anger that she was a bit hotheaded. But he certainly couldn't complain when he himself got snappy. The idea of being with Haruno Sakura for the rest of his life was, quite honestly, a bit terrifying to Kiba.

He took enough wisecracks on "mating" to think Sakura would see it any other way. Inuzuka couples _did _stay together until death, but it wasn't due to the reason others pinpointed. "Mating" wasn't the issue, Inuzuka's could fuck as many men or women as they wanted, it was merely an issue of loyalty. Much like their canine companions, the clan members, once a bond was formed, were never going to break it. And Kiba could all too quickly feel himself latching onto Sakura.

She was kind, as she'd shown when she'd healed his wound, not too mention the affection she showed Akamaru, even if he wasn't partial to that fact. She was strong, intelligent, pretty, much to Kiba's delight, and, of course, her scent was entrancing. He'd never smelled anything so appealing before, and during his teen years, Kiba's father had often told him of the Inuzuka way of finding a spouse. "It's all in the nose," he'd said while fondly eyeing Kiba's mother across the room. "Someday, you'll find a girl whose scent is unbearably nice and then you'll know. It may happen unexpectedly, you may be tormented by it for years and years and you won't even realize it, but when you do, well, when you do, you'll find your own way of handling things." His father had just laughed at the face Kiba made then, obviously finding distaste in the idea of his father smelling his mother, but now, now he completely understood.

He understood all too well at that moment, with Sakura hovering over him, his tongue gliding over the tendon in her neck, tasting that same delicious scent on his tongue, engulfing his senses. He saw pink and pale flesh; he heard soft pants and slight, high-pitched gasps; felt her toned and smooth flesh under his fingertips, pressed against him; he smelled.

Her hands were tugging at his shirt now, fingers tangling in the mesh fabric, while his own callused fingers skimmed under her short's waistband. She paused in her ministrations much to his dismay, and he was about to move his hands away when he heard a gruff bark outside in the quickly depleting and dreary daylight. He pulled Sakura's shirt downwards, covering her lower back before turning his head to look outside.

Akamaru, once again, sat with, what Kiba would call, an evil grin on his face. But it was quickly replaced with a slightly worried expression.

"Someone's coming."

* * *

Wow... I just realized that this is like, the only chapter I've ever EVER not had a break in... excluding the one after the chapter name and before this note :P And, can I just say... although, I think I might have said it once before... FINDING A WORD OTHER THAN SMELL or SNIFF or SCENT or I'M OUT OF WORDS sucksssss... Also, I believe someone last chapter asked me for any fics I've read for KibaSaku, and, I actually can't suggest any. Not that I think there aren't any good ones out there (if you are writing one tell me :P I want to read it) but that I haven't found them; that's part of the whole reason I'm writing my own, cause I want some tasty KibaSaku, haha. Anyways, enjoy... and be surprised, haha, it didn't take me as long to write this one up as the last two... -coughjustonemonththistimehahasorrycough-


	5. Miscommunication

Chapter Five - Miscommunication

* * *

"Fuck!" Kiba practically shouted, causing Sakura to jump. A frown creased her brow as she looked at him. Was it so imperative for him to get what he wanted? Sure, she had already given in and certainly wanted the same thing as him, but it wouldn't kill them to take it a little slower. A fast fuck in the woods didn't actually appeal to her all that well, thus, whoever was coming, was a welcomed interruption. Unless it was an enemy nin, then she might just have to bust their head in for them.

Kiba sheepishly looked at Sakura's annoyed expression; was she angry that he'd tried to go further with her? She had initiated the kiss, but it didn't mean she wanted more than that. Of course, at the moment, Kiba couldn't afford to worry about that. Someone was approaching their little shelter, and while Akamaru hadn't commented on it being an enemy, it still wouldn't do to be caught in his current position.

Sakura was already reaching out with her own chakra, checking for any familiarity in the intruder's own reserves. It was easily recognizable. They'd been tailed apparently, unbeknownst to both, most likely, Sakura thought with some disdain, because of her lack of vigilance, and had Akamaru not intervened they might have been caught in a rather awkward situation by someone Sakura would rather not have to face then.

Sakura hastily pushed herself off of Kiba and readjusted her disheveled clothing, clothing she hadn't even realized Kiba was in the process of removing while his tongue had been darting across her skin.

"Don't worry. It's not an enemy. Someone followed us," she muttered between smoothing her hair and retying her hitai-ate. Kiba nearly growled when she swiped the back of her hand across her lips. It was like a sign that she found distaste in the fact that his mouth had been there not so very long ago.

His mouth was already open ready to tell her his thoughts when he caught their stalkers scent. Cringing, Kiba lifted himself up as well, although he didn't bother to straighten his own clothing. Let the guy think what he wanted if he felt the need to follow them; it was their mission, damnit, and theirs alone.

Sakura knew he could have approached much more quickly and much more quietly, he was obviously letting them know he was coming. Slightly insulted that he thought she wouldn't have sensed him, but also highly embarrassed that, where she'd been, she wouldn't have, Sakura ducked out of the rock hollow. She planted herself firmly on the nearest bolder and waited as the deliberately loud sound of sandals tapping on tree bark grew closer.

Kiba joined her, though did not sit near her, but in fact several feet away. He watched her face, loving and hating the way her eyes brightened and the corners of her mouth twitched upwards into a sad smile. His instincts were kicking in; he wanted to comfort her, to make that small poignant smirk a fully genuine grin. But something in him told him to stay back. It told him just to _wait_.

* * *

"Took you long enough, senpai," Sakura teased, as soon as their guest's gaze settled on her. "But, really, did you have to be so noisy? Or did you lack faith in my abilities to hear you approaching if you were quiet?" Her pouting attitude caused a humorous smirk to pull at his lips.

"Well, now, Sakura, I was just protecting myself. I didn't want you to mistake me for someone else and end up with a fist through my face. We both know you're quite fond of that move," Tenzou smoothly retorted, walking, or in Kiba's greatly displeasured opinion, stalking towards Sakura.

Clenching his jaw tightly, Kiba refrained from snapping at the older jonin. He didn't want another man near Sakura, and that thought alone was foolish of him as she'd been on a team of three men for several years and he could have cared less then; this sudden change of heart was disconcerting to Kiba and certainly wasn't doing anything for his manly exterior.

To Kiba, it was painful watching as Tenzou approached Sakura and affectionately ruffled her pink locks. Out of fear of Tenzou doing something more, Kiba's mouth acted on its own accord.

"What are you doing here anyways?" Tenzou's head snapped to the side, finally taking notice of Kiba. His eyes were slightly widened and his expression looked vaguely guilty.

"Oh, well, apparently, Hokage-sama was quite worried about the two of you being on this mission alone, so she sent me along after you. After all, we know relations with Kumogakure have been less than friendly lately, even before this whole incident. But we'll certainly get Kakashi back, right Sakura?" Tenzou said, turning to the kunoichi with an encouraging smile.

Sakura knew she shouldn't, but the overwhelming feeling that something bad had happened to Kakashi washed over her and she couldn't help when she slouched forward, forehead relaxing against her ex-sensei's shoulder.

"What… what if he's?" Sakura whispered, voice muffled and hesitant as she pressed her face against the roughness of Tenzou's olive-green vest.

Hating to see her so doubtful and apprehensive, Tenzou relented and placed his arms around her narrow frame. "You really think Kakashi would do something to get himself hurt? He's got to come back for you and Naruto, you know that," he said soothingly.

"I know but- but you know the Sharingan was really starting to get to him; I couldn't even repair all of the damage to his retina before he went on his mission. What if he's dead because I couldn't-"

"Sakura!" Kiba, silent for so long, finally spoke up. "If Kakashi's dead, it's because Kumogakure betrayed us. Not because of you, not because of him. So stop it."

Her head shot up at the sound of Kiba's gruff bark and Sakura stepped back from Tenzou, suddenly aware of her surroundings once again and more importantly just who she was with. Both were sending rather unsettling looks her way. Kiba's was a horrible mixture of anger, concern, and resentment, while Tenzou's was merely full of sympathy and a hint of tenderness she'd never expected to see.

Sakura flashed the two men an apologetic smile before sighing and slumping back onto the rock she'd previously occupied.

"Right," she stated, "it's probably stupid to ask you, but you weren't followed or anything, were you? You weren't exactly quiet, you know."

"No, I wasn't, we're too close to home for the spies to already be lurking. ANBU patrols into this territory on a weekly basis, so definitely no enemy nin around here."

"Well, that would have been nice to know yesterday," Kiba groused, they could have traveled just fine during the day then and avoided a good number of complications; although Kiba wasn't sure if he really wanted to evade those certain complications. Not when _Sakura_ was the complication.

The kunoichi shrugged, "I suppose it doesn't matter now though, Kiba, we can make up for it tonight anyways." Kiba realized she had no idea of the implications behind her words, but he couldn't help but perk up a little bit at the idea of spending an entire night with her. Then he was reminded that it wouldn't involve much contact at all, only the sweet little scent of her sweat and femininity would be tickling him tonight. That fragrance would surely drive him insane; cause him to run headfirst into a massive and solid tree trunk.

And now he had to share her. He had to share her with a man she was used to and comfortable with in many ways she wasn't with him. Kiba wondered if she'd still let him touch her, if the presence of another person would cause her to be repulsed by him. Would she seek comfort with the older jonin? Tenzou, that was his name.

_Tenzou? Asshole is more like it. What reason does he have to be here? He weaseled his way into this mission just so he could keep Sakura to himself. That much is obvious. His scent gives him away._

"Kiba?" Sakura was giving him a crooked stare, brow quirked. "What's the matter? Are you really that mad?"

Kiba's startled face only served to prove her right. Although how she'd known what he was thinking was beyond him. She did seem to have that ability though. To know just what he was thinking, especially, it seemed, when he didn't want her to.

"I-" Kiba sputtered.

"It's not that big of a deal, alright? Really, I'll run twice as fast tonight after all this rest today."

Letting out a sharp amused snort, Kiba only stared at Sakura's tilted face, hair blowing across her forehead as a soft breeze crept into the clearing. "Yeah, I know you will," he said softly, relieved that she'd had entirely different train of thought.

"So," Tenzou spoke up in, what to him, was an awkward silence after those soft words the boy had spoken to Sakura. "What were you two doing to pass the time away before dark?"

The question had been completely innocent, Sakura knew that much, but… what the hell was she supposed to say? _Oh not much senpai, just nearly molesting my partner._ Like hell she'd ever say that to Tenzou. How had she let things get to where they'd been anyways? Obviously, being in close proximity with Kiba, a very attractive, very virile man did things to her body, because it certainly had nothing to do with her heart. It couldn't when she was still so deeply hurt by the one's she'd loved.

Sasuke was nearly unbearable to think about, and it hurt just having Tenzou near her. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and for him to respond with the same vigor. But that would never happen; he didn't love her, and that was the end of the story. No one loved her wholly, truly. As family, many loved her, but never romantically, never in that way that she felt she needed to complete herself, her heart. For an instant she'd felt that with Kiba and she'd let go of herself; now she realized it had only been lust, the power of having someone want her so badly. But it was obviously just sex for Kiba; it had to be when it was with her.

As luck would have it, Sakura didn't have to answer Tenzou's question, Kiba beat her to it.

"Resting, enjoying the hot spring, what else?" His nonchalant tone freed Sakura from having to answer, but it hurt as well. She knew he, just like she, couldn't simply tell what had been occurring before Tenzou's arrival, but Sakura had to wonder if it meant just that much. Nothing.

"And, I've been getting to know everyone's favorite little fiery kunoichi better," Kiba added with a slight laugh, making Sakura smile. Perhaps he did care. Just a little bit.

Tenzou's sharp gaze flitted to the Inuzuka. "How so?"

The question was so unexpected Kiba simply sputtered, "I- uh, I- I mean, we've just been talking, she's been 'teaching' me about her ridiculous chakra control."

"It's not ridiculous!" Sakura interjected, annoyed.

"Sakura," Tenzou said, holding one hand out, "I believe he meant ridiculously good chakra control."

Laughing nervously, Sakura shrugged it off, hoping the situation could just be forgotten. She still wanted a nap before sundown.

"Well, boys, I don't care what you do, but I'm resting before nightfall. Maybe you should do the same, wouldn't want me to leave you behind, no?" The 'fiery' kunoichi walked to her small shelter snickering the whole way.

* * *

"Well, let's get going you two," Sakura spouted, finishing up her stretches and casting a bewildered glance at Kiba and Tenzou. Although they didn't look haggard by any means neither did they look as good as she felt. But it was their own faults, in Sakura's opinion, if they hadn't slept at all in the last four hours before dark. Catnaps were Sakura's specialty and often what kept her going during long hours at the hospital.

_I wonder if Kiba calls them dognaps, _Sakura mused, giggling furiously at the thought.

"What's so funny?" Kiba and Tenzou simultaneously questioned the woman so sweetly twisting and bending before them.

Kiba hadn't gotten any sleep besides the nap between the incident in the hot springs with Sakura and her waking him up. His body and thoughts had been too preoccupied with the memory of Sakura's teeth and tongue and lips ghosting over his skin, her hands in his hair, tangling in the short strands. And, had that man not been there, he would have had much more of those feelings. They wouldn't have stopped earlier and Kiba would have shown her just how much he wanted her.

_Just her body though, because I can't seriously be falling for Haruno Sakura. It's not possible and definitely not safe._ He thought of Naruto's wild antics of flinging Rasengans around and ghastly rages when it came to those he loved. And Kami only knew what Sharingan Kakashi would do to the poor sap who messed with his little Sakura. Really, just what was he getting himself into?

Tenzou, on the other hand, was probably the one he knew the least of. He didn't seem a particularly harsh or quick tempered person, but Kiba already knew he was sharp witted and that was just as dangerous. At least the man didn't look any more rested than Kiba himself looked.

While Kiba had been haunted with thoughts of the kunoichi's touch, Tenzou had been carefully calculating some things. Firstly, what was going on between the two? Sakura gave very little away, but something in the Inuzuka boy's eyes irked him. It was like the dog was ready to attack her, whether in one way or another, the thought still completely pissed Tenzou off.

Secondly, and foremost in Tenzou's mind, was where he stood with Sakura. He knew she cared for him, she'd admitted it a few months back. And, while he'd been overjoyed to hear the words from her lips, he also knew he didn't deserve her. He was a monstrosity, a byproduct of Orochimaru's twisted experiments. So, he'd let her down gently, told her she just shouldn't get involved with him. She handled it so well, too, almost as if it really meant nothing to her. Tenzou knew otherwise though; Sakura didn't lie and she was more passionate about life than anyone he'd ever known, except for maybe Naruto.

He'd certainly wanted her though; wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her the same words she'd told him, but he simply couldn't. It wasn't in him to taint Sakura in any way.

"What's with you two?" Sakura asked, head tilted to the side in her usual manner. "Care to share your deep and dark thoughts with me? Since you both seem to be completely ignoring my suggestion that we head out and instead focusing on whatever has you staring at nothing." Rolling her eyes, she stepped forward to grab at both of their arms. "Come on," she spoke, pulling them along, "time to go; it's completely dark now, thanks to your loafing."

The two shinobi, jerked out of their reveries by the feel of Sakura's hand on their skin, finally got a hold of themselves and nodded, acquiescing to Sakura's command.

"Best to stick to the trees for now, more concealing and less noise," Tenzou suggested. Kiba rolled his eyes before springing into the nearest trees branches. Sakura and Tenzou easily followed suit before dashing to the next tree limb.

One thing Kiba was grateful for when it came to traveling was the lack of speech. He didn't have to hear Tenzou talk to Sakura on a more intimate level than himself, nor would he have to come up with clever remarks of his own. Unfortunately for Kiba, Tenzou had other ideas.

The older jonin and current ANBU member often had to talk while traveling, briefing his comrades on their task or other similar issues. Smoothly he jumped to the same branch as Sakura, falling in step with her own movements. He spoke so quietly even Kiba could not hear him.

Tenzou frowned, "What's with the Inuzuka?"

"Huh? What do you mean what's with him?" Sakura ask, confused.

"He seems to hate me," Tenzou replied with a small laugh.

Sakura, a bewildered look on her face, asked, "Who could hate you?"

Tenzou hadn't meant to get that kind of an answer, he wanted to hear that the boy was always angry or simply had a grudge for some reason, but instead he got her honest and instant reaction. And he knew exactly what it meant. How could anyone hate you when I love you? She always did show her heart in her eyes.

"Sakura… I-"

And before he could turn his thoughts into words a kunai came flying from the foliage and slammed into Sakura's shoulder. The kunoichi's eyes widened and a grimace of pain creased her face as she stumbled but managed to keep herself upright on the large tree branch.

"What the hell was that?" Kiba yelled, flinging himself to Sakura's unoccupied side. "I can't smell anyone but us! How the hell-"

Tenzou was already sending out wooden sensors through the ground to search for the enemy while Sakura began to instruct Kiba on pulling the kunai from her shoulder.

They were there alright, about ten of them, if the trackers were correct, though how they were managing to mask their chakra and even their scents from the Inuzuka boy was beyond him. The sensors slithering below their feet could feel their body heat though. Relaying this new information to his teammates as well as the enemy's location, Tenzou was preparing to send the tough spiny roots flying out of the ground to entrap the bastards that had hurt Sakura when he suddenly didn't have to as the group of them finally released their chakra control and charged the trio.

Although the nin were talented at concealment, offense was obviously not their forte and Tenzou was surprised they'd decided to attack anyways. Sakura was still sitting in the tree healing herself as Kiba and Tenzou easily finished them off. A couple of kunai here and there from the two of them was all it took, though Akamaru had caught one of the shinobi by the leg, shaking him roughly and dragging him off to the side for later interrogation.

"Good boy, Akamaru," Kiba praised, scratching a hand through the dog's rough fur before squatting down to the disheveled shinobi.

"No, let me," Sakura said prettily, slipping off the tree to land lightly on her feet. The only sign remaining of the kunai being implanted in her shoulder was a crimson stain and ragged slit in the back of her shirt.

The captive watched as the pretty little pink haired kunoichi approached, realizing he might just have a chance if this girl wanted to question him. She looked like a softy, not too mention most women shinobi he'd known were worthless besides being flexible in the sack.

Something in the way she was twirling his very own kunai between her fingers was slightly disturbing though, like she had some inner demon she was about to unleash upon him. It was nonsense though; she was just a girl, just a stupid little g-

The bloody kunai dug slowly into his thigh, twisting and burning. His voice rang out before he could stifle it and his own blood pooled around the sharpened metal as it ground through his flesh and bone, embedding itself hilt deep. Course it was the bitch that had done it.

"Now, since I've paid back that little favor," Sakura sneered, "you're goin' to answer a few questions for me, okay?" Her voice had changed drastically from the first words he'd heard from her, they'd been dark, vicious, and now her voice was light, almost cheerful. She seemed mentally unstable to the now-injured shinobi.

His only reply was to spit in Sakura's face, which she smoothly dodged. Annoyed by the stupidity of the nin before her, Sakura decided it would just be easier to make him talk. She wasn't particularly violent. At least not all the time.

Settling her palm on the top of his head, she sent chakra into his nervous system causing the memory receptors to spark and the thoughts to transmit between his brain and auditory senses. Sakura merely had to listen to him speak now and pick out the chunks they actually needed.

"Yes, honey, I know, take out the trash." Sakura flinched at his first words. He was a husband, or at least a lover. "Sorry, sorry, daddy has to go to work." And a father. "Yes, Tsuchikage-sama. We're to get the scroll from the Konoha shinobi traveling to Kumogakure." Sakura's interests were peaked, Iwagakure was involved?

The captive stopped for a second before continuing on, "Hey, Idaki, how'd we come across this information anyways? The Hokage's correspondent? Hah, so that bitch's sources aren't as secure as she thought."

In that instant, some foreign chakra burst to life in the shinobi's body, causing him to have severe spasms and bloodcurdling screams to issue from his open mouth. Sakura tried to force her chakra to move through his body, to determine whatever was causing his pain, but by the time it reached the source his heart had stopped. What Sakura felt inside of the man was sickening. His heart had basically been cooked in the man's chest.

Kiba and Tenzou looked at Sakura expectantly. From her grimace, the news wasn't good.

"He's dead."

"What did you do to him?" Kiba sputtered, clearly surprised by what, to him, looked like she'd killed their prisoner in some violent manner.

"I didn't do it!" she spoke vehemently. "There was some other chakra in him; didn't you two feel it?"

Both men shook their heads.

Sighing, Sakura bent down and slid the nin's eyelids closed.

"We should at least bury the bodies before we continue, we don't want to leave that obvious a trail," offered Tenzou, before hefting the body over his shoulder and setting to work.

* * *

I know what you're all thinking... OMG, SHE UPDATED! and haha :P this craps hard, I hope you all know. I love writing, but sometimes the words just don't want to come out, AT ALL. But thankfully I have an awesome friend online that's been helping me get my thoughts flowing again, major thanks to him. Too bad he doesn't even read my writing, haha, but yeah, I updated, here you go... some of you are horribly impatient, haha, what would you do if I died! Then you'd NEVER get an update... that'd be wicked of me, no? But, anyways, please just have patience with me (most of you did, but a few... ooo) I'm not the healthiest of people and have quite a busy schedule between work and the shite dealing with my heal issues, but writing is a good outlet for me, and, while some people are urged to write more when they get "update please" in their comments, that's not really me. Give me some long detailed comments and I might just drool on you :) Haha, I'm kidding, I wouldn't drool on you, just drool in general. So, enough of me 'ranting" (was that a rant?), as always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even if it seemed a bit drawn out; I wanted to get that central tension established... and, I like making Evil!Sakura... it's fun :D

* * *


	6. Midday Situations

Chapter Six - Midday Situations

* * *

They traveled until dawn, thankful for the lack of incidents after their earlier encounter with the Iwagakure shinobi. All night Sakura had been toiling over the information the now deceased nin had given her. She had two concerns really: The fact that they now had to deal with both Iwagakure & Kumogakure shinobi and that one of Tsunade's spies had turned on them. Neither were good news and neither were something she had any particular resolution to. She'd have to send a message to her shishou as soon as possible, but the best way to do so was unknown to her at the moment.

At least she had two highly skilled shinobi with her now, rather than just one. Not that she didn't trust in Kiba's talents, but two were definitely better than one. It evened their chances of survival if a group of hunter nin came along.

"It'd be best to stop soon," Tenzou suggested as he looked at the minutely lightened sky. "No luxuries tonight, Sakura. I don't care to have a run-in with both Iwagakure & Kumogakure, so no fire, no hotspring, nothing". Sakura frowned; she wasn't stupid and she certainly didn't need someone telling her what to do.

"Yes, father," she said half-joking. "And, if that's the case, this is my bed over here," Sakura added, pointing to a particularly grassy spot near the base of a tree and half-concealed by bushes.

"I'll take first watch," Kiba interjected; he didn't like the idea of the older jonin watching over Sakura while she slept, let alone to keep his hands to himself. His eyes seemed to rove her body enough; there was no telling what said hands would do.

Sakura cast a pretty smile in his direction. "Aw, thanks Kiba," she added, before removing her pack and unrolling her sleeping bag. When Tenzou set up his own bedding only a few feet away from Sakura's a small growl managed to escape him, but, luckily for him, he was already sitting up in the trees, nose keen and eyes sharp. He still didn't miss the fact that the man was so close to her and they were quietly sharing a few edibles. Beef jerky, crackers, they were even sharing a bottle of juice that Sakura had brought along. Kiba really wanted to be the one she was sharing that juice with, but she didn't seem to think about him. His annoyance getting the better of him, he spun around, eyes averting from the two down on the ground.

Sakura glanced up at that moment, noting Kiba's stiffened back. Had she done something to offend him? Was he embarrassed that he'd been kissing her earlier? Angry that Tenzou might know? She wasn't really sure, but she didn't like getting the cold shoulder from him.

Tenzou, finishing his jerky, sighed. He was sitting right beside her, but it seemed her mind was somewhere else, on some_one_ else. Tenzou wouldn't call himself a jealous man, but he certainly couldn't say this change didn't irk him. He also couldn't blame Sakura. He'd been the one to turn Sakura away, albeit it was for her own good; she didn't deserve someone like him, with his twisted background and involvement in ANBU, she was too pure and good for that, for him.

"Hey," Sakura started, voice low, "Why are you here anyways?"

"Hmm?" He frowned. "I told you earlier, Godaime-sama said-"

"She did not," Sakura interrupted bluntly, "I know my shishou and I know she doesn't make last minute decisions on missions like this. If she didn't have faith in Kiba and my ability to get this mission done she wouldn't have sent us, but someone else instead. So don't try to pull that crap with me; I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were, Sakura," Tenzou said solemnly, head tilting downwards and body leaning towards Sakura. His voice a mere whisper he said, "I believe you're the exact opposite, in fact. And, you're right. The Godaime didn't want to send me. I requested it of her after I heard you were going on such a mission."

"Why?" Sakura asked, brows knitting together, "did you think I couldn't manage the mission myself? Do you really think I'm so worthless? God, it's as bad as Kakashi back when I was a genin!" She hissed the last words through her teeth, anger starting to rise to the surface as she stared at the top of the older man's lowered head. "I never realized you were such an as-"

"I didn't do it because I didn't believe in you, Sakura!" He snapped, grabbing her wrists tightly in his hands. "I…" Tenzou hesitated, frowning, "I did it because I was afraid. Afraid that you might not come back, afraid you'd get hurt, afraid I'd lose you."

"Wha-what are you talking about!" She exclaimed quietly, fully aware of Kiba hovering in the trees. "_You_," she half gasped, half laughed, "rejected me! Or did you forget that little detail, Tenzou? I can't do that again. I can't feel anything for you right now," she whispered.

"Sakura, please, try to understand-"

"No, Tenzou, I won't understand. I don't understand. If you felt something for me, why say no? You had me then! I would have done anything for you, despite knowing nothing about you. God damnit!" she cried.

Kiba felt the tic in his jaw start just as he heard Sakura's last words. What kind of bastard was he that he could turn Sakura down? To hurt her as he apparently had made Kiba want to tear into the man himself despite his possible involvement with ANBU.

"I'm sorry Sakura," Tenzou started, "I-I really didn't know I'd hurt you so badly. It was never my intention, believe me. I hold only the utmost respect for you. I have every confidence that you're one of the strongest kunoichi, no, shinobi of Konoha. I had to turn you down though. It's not something I'm willing to explain, but I had my reasons."

Sakura sighed heavily, "And that, Tenzou, is why I'm glad you said no back then. If you can't trust me with anything now, how could you have loved me then?" Turning her back to the jonin sitting there, Sakura lay down on her sleeping roll, hands clasping together against her chest. She wanted to cry, she needed to cry, but something in her just wouldn't let the tears flow. Something else was crying out to her in the back of her mind, telling her it didn't matter if Tenzou didn't trust her, couldn't love her. There was someone else out there, something right, perfect. Now, if only she could find it.

* * *

Yawning sporadically, Kiba watched the sunlight filtering through the canopy in the early morning hours. Despite his tiredness, he didn't quite care to speak to the older man nor did he really want to wake Sakura from her sleep, however fitful it was. But, Kiba was also fully aware he wouldn't be able to make it much longer as a competent watchman.

So, grudgingly, Kiba leapt from his spot in the tree and landed quietly on the ground, chakra cushioning the impact. He approached Tenzou slowly; he really wanted nothing to do with this man. Then again, he didn't think waking Sakura up would be a safe thing to do. Tenzou would take this watch and Kiba would situate himself as close, yet unobtrusively, as possible to Sakura.

"Oi," he grumbled brashly, foot pushing at the older jonin's back. Tenzou woke impossibly quick startling Kiba when he abruptly sat up.

"What? What is it? Is there-"

"Calm down," Kiba bit out, annoyance evident in his voice, "I just figured you could take the second watch."

"Oh," Tenzou said, apologetically, running a hand through his hair, disheveled from sleep. "Sure, no problem."

Kiba was surprised once again when Tenzou actually patrolled the surrounding area rather than just keeping watch. He figured, somewhat smugly, that it was mainly due to his lack of the keen sense of smell Kiba possessed.

Moving in Sakura's general direction Kiba was somewhat perturbed, but also somewhat relieved to see that, while he'd been waking Tenzou up, Akamaru had finally appeared again. He'd been missing most of the day, probably out looking for wild dogs Kiba had thought sardonically. But now, there he was, lying curled up against Sakura's back looking for all the world like he belonged there.

Kiba sighed heavily, before situating himself against another tree, on a not-so-soft patch. But he could care less about the scratchy blades of grass beneath him; this was the best spot inconspicuously close to Sakura.

Reclining against the tree at his back, Kiba watched Sakura's face for a moment. Watched the slight parting of her lips as she exhaled, the soft smooth curve of her cheek not cradled against her hands. Would it be so awful of him to crawl over to her and curl up against her back much like Akamaru? Only he'd lie against her, back pressed to his chest, legs curving together. Akamaru could move around to lay at her stomach if it was _really _necessary, Kiba groused to himself.

Yet, Kiba stayed put, only too aware of the jonin making his way through the dense brush around them. Even sitting this close to Sakura was probably enough to earn a calculated glance from Tenzou.

Kiba suddenly had to wonder when he'd started caring about what others thought. He'd never been one to act as anything but himself just for the sake of others' opinions. But he found himself trying to make Sakura happy now? To prevent any problems between himself and someone she apparently thought highly of, at least before she'd talked to him earlier that day? Just what the hell was he doing? How had Sakura, as cute as she was, managed to worm herself into his conscious so wholly in such a short amount of time?

Tearing his gaze away from her calm face, apparently, whatever dreams had been plaguing her before were now gone, Kiba noted that Akamaru had lifted his head and was now staring directly at him. A queer sort of look was plastered over his canine features, a look that only Kiba could decipher. It was a challenge. Even as Akamaru clambered to his feet and made his way around to Sakura's front to curl up against the hollow Sakura's curved body made, Kiba knew it was a direct and blatant dare. And he was never one to back down from a dare.

Peeking around and sniffing at the air, he made sure that the older jonin wasn't around. He'd worry about the man finding him curled against Sakura when the time came, but for now, Kiba didn't care. Leaning forward, grass crushing beneath his hands and knees, he crawled what few feet there were between him and Sakura in the first place. And her intoxicating scent was once again filling his senses, wordlessly drawing him in even closer.

"Sakura," he breathed out, nose close to the curve of her neck, eyes sliding shut to inhale deeply. Akamaru growled quietly from his place near the kunoichi's stomach causing Kiba to cock one brow before peering over her petite form at his friend.

"Sleep, baka," the dog said as quietly as possible so as to not wake Sakura. Staring wide-eyed at his companion and feeling rather indignant, Kiba was tempted to growl back. Just what did Akamaru think he would do? Take advantage of the poor girl while she was asleep? Then Kiba realized that it was more likely that Akamaru just wanted to get a good day's sleep as they would, if no incidents occurred that night while traveling, reach Lightning Country and then they would both have to begin their search for Kumogakure.

Damned if hidden villages weren't a pain in the ass. He understood why, of course, but it was still a nuisance in his honest opinion. Although, at that moment, Kiba couldn't keep his mind focused on the mission, instead it was drifting to thoughts of how silky Sakura's hair looked in the sunlight sneaking through the trees overhead, or how with each breath she took her shoulder would raise just the slightest bit and a little more of her fragrance would find it's way to his nose.

In his current position, though, he wasn't exactly comfortable. He was sure his palms were turning green from the chlorophyll in the grass and having his knees bent for so long was causing them to ache; someday he'd have to retire from being a shinobi because of those knees. Not too mention that he was exhausted. Running for an entire night had the tendency to do that to people.

Finally giving into the invisible strings pulling him towards the pink-haired woman, Kiba lay on his side, drawing closer to her, chest pressing to her back. She shifted slightly against him as he slid one arm under her neck, which before had looked to be at an awkward angle, and then threw his other arm lightly over her waist.

_She's so tiny,_ he noted, palm smoothing over the fabric covering her side. _Yet so damned strong. _Unable to contain his smirk, Kiba pressed his lips to Sakura's shoulder blade, instead hiding said smirk from whom he didn't know. As she stirred again, practically in his embrace now, his smile turned to a different kind entirely even as sleep crept over him. Snuggling closer, hair tickling his bicep, the girl in his arms placed soft lips on his skin and left them there while they both slept.

* * *

Sakura wasn't sure if waking to a well muscled, warm arm stuck to her face with the aid of sweat was a good thing or a bad thing. Obviously, even with her considerably small view through half closed eyes, the arm was rather sexy for just an arm. The well toned bicep beneath her head was defined and manly at the same time, the forearm strong. _And manly,_ Sakura's mind added again. But the hand, the hand was the killer for Sakura. She'd always had a thing for men's hands and this one was no exception, except for the fact that it was an _exceptional_ hand. Large, but not too large, calloused but not grotesquely so, the nails were a little longer than most men's, but well kept and clean. But what got her was how powerful they looked. She knew what that power felt like in her own palms, but it was simply a different kind.

Thoughts of that hand gripping her thighs, touching her skin, touching _her_ flitted through her mind before she could stop them. It didn't help that the owner of said arm was also breathing softly against her throat, or that she could feel their lips on her skin, or their other hand curled against her stomach.

But, while one part of her was enjoying the warmth he emitted, another part of her was screaming to get up and away from it. The part that could still recall where she was and just who she was with. She knew it was Kiba that lay next to her from his chakra, but her reason for worry was not the canine shinobi behind her, rather the waves of absolute rage she could feel pulsing within Tenzou's own chakra. Why he should be upset was beyond her really. He was horribly confusing, Sakura had to admit. First saying he wanted nothing to do with her in _that way_, now saying things that had her wondering if she hadn't simply been delusional and heard only what she wanted. Though, she couldn't honestly be sure if it _had_ been what she wanted. And Kiba's warm, relaxed, well toned body pressing against her backside was making her question that even more so.

"Kiba," she whispered, hand coming to smooth over the taut skin on the underside of his forearm. And again, this time a little louder, "Kiba."

"Hmnn," he growled, obviously not ready to get up. But, if her eyes were correct, it was nearing night. They would need to leave soon and why Tenzou hadn't woken them up yet, she didn't know. Better yet, why hadn't he woken her up for her watch? She'd have to be sure to ask him about that later.

She wiggled against the warm body behind her, not for any particular reason, just that he was so damn warm she didn't quite want to get up, even with Tenzou's angry aura hanging over her. Even as she thought this, Kiba stretched behind her, arms moving from their current position and extending over his head. Which left her head to thump against the ground.

"Ow," she deadpanned as Kiba groggily cracked his eyes open, the pink softness of Sakura's hair his first sight. He couldn't resist as he buried his nose into the silky mass.

Tenzou's stringent voice started both into sudden alertness when he spoke up, "Isn't it about time you two got up? We _do_ have a mission, you know. Or have you forgotten about Kakashi, Sakura?" His words were meant to hurt, she knew as much; it was impossible to go as many years as she had as a medic and on a team with her boys to not know when certain words were meant to cause pain. Still… knowing didn't stop the guilt that lanced through her heart.

Much to Sakura's surprise though, Kiba replied with a bark, "Yeah, yeah. We still got another thirty minutes before dusk; don't get so huffy." Barely able to contain her snicker, Sakura grinned, eyes squeezing shut. She thanked Kami her back was to the others, though she was certain Kiba wouldn't mind her amusement.

His voice much calmer now and somewhat guilty, Tenzou said, "Just… get up, would you? We need to discuss some things before we head out. We'll reach Lightning Country today and we'll have to be much more careful. We know the general area of Kumogakure, but it's said to be well concealed. That's why Godaime selected you for this mission, right, Kiba?"

Kiba merely nodded, nose rubbing in Sakura's hair still.

Sighing, Sakura moved to get up, instantly displeased when the warmth left her back. She patted Kiba's shoulder, smiling lightly and saying, "Come on then."

After clambering to his feet still in his current half-asleep state, Kiba meandered along behind Sakura, who made her way over to Tenzou's perch on a low tree branch.

"Well," she started, "we're awake. What's the verdict?"

Hoping down to the ground, Tenzou presented a map of the Lightning Country and pointed. "Kumogakure is somewhere in this area."

"Eh?" Sakura interjected, "Isn't that a pretty mountainous area?" She pointed at the various markers in the area.

Tenzou nodded, "Sure is, Sakura." And then he smiled at her, a genuine smile that told her everything was going to be fine between them, if only for the time being. But she knew, that in the end, she would make it right either way.

"So, lets just get to that area and then I'll sniff the village out. There are bound to be plenty of odors coming from it; it'll be a piece of cake. The only problem might be getting into the village," Kiba explained.

"I suggest we go covert. Dress down as commoners, maybe traders," Tenzou said, tapping his chin.

Sakura quirked a brow at his suggestion, "Okay, but… what exactly are we going to be trading, senpai?"

Her former sensei merely grinned, "I'll tell you when we're closer."

Sakura was utterly tempted to protest, but, she figured she probably really didn't want to know until the time came.

* * *

The night was mostly uneventful. Made up of two things - running and short awkward moments between the trio. She couldn't say she fully enjoyed the company for solely that reason, but the Lightning country nearly made up for it.

She loved the gradual change of the temperature. It was cool, but not horribly cold, even at night. The moonlight was plenty bright enough for her to see the landscape slowly altering. From dense forests of oaks and redwoods to sparse pines and firs littering the area. From bright emerald grasses of the fire country, to more lichen type mosses that clung to the less fertile ground in the higher altitude of Lightning. Thick clouds hung even in the night sky due to the elevation and amount of moisture in the air.

Sakura found it to be absolutely enchanting. Unlike Konoha in so many ways, though she had to admit she would never give up her home for anything.

She did, however, audibly gasp when they came upon their first cliff. The sheer plummeting edge of the dark gray stones paired with the small lake below and the greenery blanketed in a soft haze mystified her. She'd never seen anything like it. Sure, she'd seen canyons and great oceans and such. But something about this was just so serene and gorgeous. It almost disgusted her that people that might have captured her sensei in order to satisfy their greed were allowed to live in such a place.

She didn't have long to enjoy the view though as Tenzou and Kiba continued on, quickly leaving her behind.

_Jerks,_ she thought instantly, scowling. They could have at least waited for her. The thought only served to remind her why exactly they hadn't slowed down. Here she was standing staring over an amazing landscape while Kakashi could very well be undergoing intense physical torture. She hated the idea, was completely repulsed by it. If any of them had so much laid a hand on Kakashi she'd destroy them.

Mind once again on the mission rather than the scenery, she wondered about Tenzou's idea for their disguise as merchants as she sprinted after her quickly disappearing comrades.

She caught up to the two men eventually, Kiba had halted, face tilted upwards as he inhaled deeply.

"I smell something," he uttered before shooting off through the trees quickly chasing the scent to its origin.

"Hey!" Tenzou called out in hopes of stopping the Inuzuka.

Tenzou cursed to himself, s_hit, he better not get too close or our cover will be blown before we've even established it._

* * *

Two words - I SUCK... this was oddly enough, so hard for me to write. My mind kept going blank every time I opened the document... so annoying. So, needless to say, it's not a chapter I think very highly of... try to enjoy, haha... but, the story should pick back up after this (not necessarily my updates... been working too much -.-')


	7. Effervescent City

Chapter Seven - Effervescent City

* * *

"Absolutely not!" Sakura, more than flabbergasted and less than amused, burst out. "We are _not _selling me!"

Tenzou couldn't say he hadn't expected such an answer, but, considering their situation and the items they carried, it was the only plausible thing he could think of.

After catching up to, and practically tackling the Inuzuka, the wood-manipulating jonin had insisted that they stay put for a bit and get their stories straight. It certainly wouldn't do to go barreling into Kumogakure and start spouting different lies.

"Just think about it for a min-"

"Hell no!" Kiba defended, for he, just as much as Sakura, didn't want her to be their merchandise. Though, he had to admit, he'd give every cent he had for her.

"Hey now, hey now," Tenzou tried to pacify the two shinobi before him. "First of all, we have no goods to sell."

"Then come up with a better disguise," Sakura ground out.

"Second of all," he continued, ignoring Sakura's interruption, "we would be able to screen the buyers. Say, that while we need the money, Kiba and I that is, we also don't want our dear sister-"

Kiba scoffed, "You're too old to be her brother."

"As I was saying, we don't want our dear sister to fall into the wrong person's hands."

"Who's going to fall for that?" Sakura squeaked, "It's not as if I'm some goddess! No one but filth would want to buy me and they don't even have the money!"

"Baka."

"Hey! Who's the baka, baka!" Sakura glowered at Kiba who had put his hands up in a form of placating the irritated kunoichi.

Tenzou sighed heavily, "Sakura, trust me on this, men will want to buy you. You're a pretty girl and they'd be only too happy to put you to some manual labor since you're in good physical shape."

"Yeah, and what about the pretty part," Kiba bit out, "they'll want to take advantage of that as well. Are you really going to put Sakura in that kind of situation?"

"No," Tenzou said, once again sighing, "I'm going to put a kunoichi, and a strong intelligent one at that, in that kind of situation."

Sakura felt the flush creeping up her neck and to her cheeks, despite the anger still fighting to get out. She thought it would feel great right about now to punch someone into oblivion, but, as it was, she wouldn't be able to do so without drawing attention to her little group.

"The main thing is," Tenzou continued, "you could get into the main quarters. See if you could find anything out from the inside while Kiba and I search on the outside. We will also work on trying to find a way into wherever they might be keeping Kakashi-senpai. Since we don't really know the layout of the village yet, we can't be certain if they'll have a headquarters for shinobi like Konoha or something else. We'll ascertain that when we get there. And that's when we'll start the rouse."

"I never agreed to this," Sakura blurted out.

"It's our best option though, Sakura. You understand, right? It's not as if I want to put you in this position, not as if I want to give you up."

Sakura could sense an underlying meaning in his words even without the defeated glance he cast in Kiba's direction. She felt somewhat bad now. Might she have been too harsh on him the other day? It's not as if she didn't still care for him, but there was something that had settled in her system, her heart that just wouldn't allow her to fly into his arms upon his 'confession.' Something that had messy dark hair, teeth far too sharp for a human, and crimson marks on cheeks that often got caught in smiles. Something that was staring at her at that very moment.

"It's up to you, Sakura. I can already say I don't care for it; I'd prefer to just charge in, grab Kakashi, and run, but, we don't really know where he's being kept. I don't-" Kiba cut himself off, not quite wanting to reveal himself in front of Sakura's former sensei.

Sakura groaned, brow furrowed as she stared at the mossy ground. Turning to the side and presenting them with her profile, she crossed her arms and harrumphed, "Fine."

* * *

"Do you always carry this much junk with you?" Sakura queried, cynical gaze on the various items Kiba was removing from his secondary pack. He had known it would come in handy the few days ago he'd been rushing to leave his house. The few days that now seemed so much longer than they really were.

"Well, yeah. It's just one extra pack and I always forget things when I'm getting ready for a mission."

Sakura jeered, "Is that because you always oversleep?"

Pouting at the kunoichi then giving a toothy grin, Kiba pulled a bag of dog treats from the bag.

"For you? Or Akamaru," Tenzou mocked, picking through his own things in search of something more suitable for a merchant. He hardly doubted Kumogakure would gladly open its doors to a man wearing a vest with one of Konoha's recognized symbols on it, let alone the medal plate on his headgear.

"Why not just sell this stuff?" Sakura huffed, gesturing to the objects from Kiba's bag.

Tenzou replied rather stoically, "No one would want to buy those, unfortunately."

It was simple enough for Kiba and Tenzou to find the necessary articles of clothing. Kiba kept his cropped black pants on as they were rather plain, but he traded out his dark green vest and black jacket for a loosely fitted dark tan shirt. Even though the outfit was very simple for the very canine-like man, Sakura liked the way the lighter color of the shirt contrasted with the deep crimson of his markings. Not too mention that, while it was hidden by the baggy overshirt, he still wore the usual black mesh shirt underneath.

While Kiba kept his appearance simple, it seemed Tenzou had been a little more prepared for the occasion. If Sakura didn't know better, she'd say he'd been planning it.

He had donned a dark navy hakama and a nearly matching blue happi. She raised a brow at that, curious as to the crest customary of a happi. Honestly, did he think it wouldn't give them away having some family or village crest? She was a little surprised when he finally presented his back to her for viewing. A small cherry blossom crest was woven into the fabric of the happi directly between his shoulder blades.

She was openly staring when Tenzou turned back around.

"Yes?" he said.

"What's with the outfit? I thought we were just going to be merchants!"

"Yes, but, if we intend to draw in higher class buyers we best look respectable." He gave Kiba an annoyed glance then. "Not really what I had in mind, but I can just say you're harder to sell."

Kiba, to Sakura's amazement, actually laughed at the comment. "It's not like I carry such pretty-boy clothes with me on a mission."

Ignoring the remark, Tenzou's gaze flicked once more to Sakura. "Why haven't you changed yet?"

The kunoichi's lips parted slightly, an obviously embarrassed look falling into place. "Well, the thing is, I-I don't really have anything like that to wear."

"Hmm, that won't do," Tenzou mused, index finger tapping against his chin. "You have a cloak?"

"Well, yeah."

"Put it on for now," he ordered, continuing even as she tugged the shapeless bland cloak from her pack. "When we get to the village we'll have to buy you something to wear. And, I shouldn't need to tell either of you this, but just in case, make sure you conceal your chakra. We don't need our cover blown by the first shinobi we run into."

"You think we're idiots?" Kiba griped, anger evident in his voice. He didn't get a response which only further aggravated him.

"And you've both got the full story, correct? We lived in Rice Field Country with our family who were wealthy merchants but-"

"But then we were attacked by some rogue shinobi from Otogakure who took everything of value. We were the only survivors and we fled our home and wandered from small village to small village until my brilliant brother decided it would be better if I were sold off," Sakura, in a cheery, though unmistakably false voice, took over. "Being that you're a good brother, you couldn't sell me to just anyone, thus why I'm still with you two. You're trying to sell off your brother, Kiba as well, but so far no one has wanted him."

_Except me,_ Sakura informed herself mentally.

"And, while in the last village, we heard Kumogakure wasn't too horribly far away. You figured a larger village would be just the place to get rid of her. Not too mention our dear sister would be much safer in a shinobi village," Kiba spat out.

"Alright, alright, I get it; you two know the story," Tenzou laughed slightly despite himself.

"Well," Sakura suggested, "let's not linger here any longer. I wonder if Kumogakure have ANBU patrols like Konoha," she added, mostly to herself though both men heard her as well and suddenly found themselves on alert.

"As pointless as it may seem, now would be the best time to mask our chakra. We'll just have to continue on foot as citizens."

Sakura audibly moaned, while Kiba was tempted to use his chakra anyways. However, they both knew better and drew their chakra inwards, directly to their cores and concealed it, making them, to a trained eye, appear to be normal citizens; citizens who, while still needing chakra to live, hadn't the ability to use it. Except for Kiba who looked quite strange, nose stuck high into the air catching the scents of a large village on each breeze. The smell of a market, fresh and spoiled goods alike permeated his senses, while less than pleasant aromas from regular human wastes also trailed on the wind.

"We're pretty close now. Just a couple miles maybe," he informed his two companions.

"More like two and a half miles, Kiba," Akamaru said from behind him, having appeared from nowhere.

"And just where have you been all night?" Kiba demanded, looking towards the slowly lightening horizon of dark blues and purples and streaks of pale pink. Pale pink that reminded him of Sakura's hair in some ways; she had so many shades in her hair, from deep coral to near-white.

Akamaru laughed, "You're thinking about her-"

"Shut up!" Kiba snapped, already clamping his hands around the dog's large muzzle.

Sakura giggled slightly, one hand covering her mouth and the other patting her outer thigh in invitation. Akamaru easily divulged himself of his somewhat quick-tempered 'owner' and padded over to the kunoichi's side where he was greeted with rough scratches through his thick off-white fur.

"Where _have_ you been all night, hmm?" she questioned, smiling all the while.

"I went on ahead. Scouted the village a bit."

Eyes wide, Sakura gasped, "And what did you find?"

"I think you all will be in for a bit of a surprise when you see the village. It's much different compared to Konoha."

"How so?" Kiba popped in, falling instep with the girl and dog.

"Well," Akamaru started, "I think… you should both see for yourselves."

The two shinobi audibly moaned. Glancing back, Tenzou couldn't help but be a bit curious himself. Oddly enough, even in all his years as an ANBU member, he'd never been sent on a mission to Kumogakure. It was said, though, that the village was a place that constantly shifted positions. Never once had Konoha shinobi found it in the same place as before. A team would be sent to the hidden village only to find that the last coordinates recorded were no longer correct. Now, how could an entire village just up and move? Did they live in makeshift buildings and just abandon them or pack up? All in order to keep the village hidden? It seemed an odd thing to be so adamant about, but, Tenzou supposed there could be some benefits to it. He had to wonder how the location they'd been giving by the Godaime had even been correct this time at all.

"Oi, why can't you just tell us?" Kiba's voice cut into Tenzou's musings rather obnoxiously.

_As usual_, the older jonin thought, rolling his eyes skyward.

"Because, it's something better seen than explained," the not-so-pup grumbled.

Sakura sighed, before perking up and walking a little bit faster.

"Hey! Why are you speeding up?" Kiba bickered.

"Well… I want to see what's so special about Kumogakure!"

"You mean you want to see how special the place is that is holding Kakashi hostage?"

Akamaru's heavy paw landed soundly on Kiba's foot even as Sakura grimaced.

"I-uh- I guess I see your point," she uttered quietly, pace slowing again.

Shaking his foot, now throbbing in pain, Kiba had to admit that, however much it hurt, he had deserved it. Why had he said something like that? He felt like an idiot; he should have known better than to mention such a thing to the girl. It was bad enough she was going to have to go undercover and act like a friend to the higher-ups of Kumogakure, the same people who might be directly or indirectly responsible for Kakashi's capture. Or worse. But Kiba didn't want to think about such things. He didn't want to see Sakura in any pain.

The group trod silently through the trees that were growing sparser as they neared Kumogakure, each pondering their own thoughts. All envisioning what might lie ahead.

"It's not much farther," Akamaru commented, the only one with enough nerve to break the silence that stretched like a taut wire between the three shinobi. "Half a mile at the most."

"Eh?" Sakura squeaked out, her gaze, which had intently been watching her feet, now popped up, staring first at Tenzou's back and then the taiga beyond which gradually turned to a mountainous area, full of sloping cliffs and jagged peaks. Not for the first time in Lightning Country she ogled the landscape, appreciating its simplistic beauty. She admired the trees, knowing they had to have amazing strength despite the obviously malnourished soil; she even loved the downward growth of the tree limbs, knowing that such angles helped the trees shed snow during the winter seasons. The foggy mist hung low in the air, covering everything in a mysterious blanket.

She could almost compare a shinobi to the land; strong in the most unfavorable situations and able to create a mist about themselves, whether by way of words or by the use of ninjutsu. She would have to be like this land in the time to come. She'd have to play the part she was given. It wouldn't be her first covert mission, but most likely her most challenging. Before, she'd only been playing a part to get some information about documents, treaties, and the likes. This time, well, this time was completely different. Kakashi's life could depend on her abilities. She would not fail him.

"Come on now, Sakura," Akamaru said gruffly, though his voice also held some softness, "Kakashi is a shinobi, and a tough one at that. I'm sure he's fine. Kiba's just an idiot; you shouldn't listen to him anyways."

"Hey! That's no-" Kiba started, before hearing Sakura stifle a small laugh and realizing, that, while Akamaru might have been somewhat serious, his ultimate goal had been to make her smile. And if a jibe towards him was what it took, then he was fine with it.

He would have liked to have kept watching the small smile playing on Sakura's lips, but the scents coming from the village were growing much stronger, and he was even starting to pick up resounding noises of voices chattering and the clanking of everyday work. He couldn't understand it though. They should have had some view of the village by now what with the lack of trees and such.

To one side of them was an open field of moss-covered dirt and a fir or scraggly bush here or there, to their right was a rocky cliff side. It had started out as a small rocky outcrop, but as they'd moved on, it had showed itself to be a much larger form. The rock was of a slate gray, though its years showed through weathered spots of a lighter color and lichen clung to every nook and cranny possible. It had steeply inclined sides, which is how the expansiveness of such a formation had snuck up on them so quickly.

Oddly enough, Kiba realized the smells were coming from the rocks themselves.

_No, that's not right, _he told himself. _They are coming from _around_ the rocks._

"The village is on the other side!"

"Yes," Akamaru grinned in his doggish way, "the village is built into the rock's side. The only way to get to it is to go up and over, then down the bluff."

"Eh?" Sakura, a confused expression on her face, said. "That doesn't make much sense. How do the villagers get in and out?"

"Maybe they don't?" Tenzou said quietly.

"What? That's silly. How do they get food? Water? Traders? Better yet, how the hell are we going to get in as merchants if we can't even do so without our chakra?" The kunoichi blurted out all at once.

"Good question," replied Tenzou matter-of-factly.

"I've got an idea," Kiba finally uttered after several moments of tense silence.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Sakura frowned as they peered over the edge of the cliff, where they now stood. "It's awfully far down. And you won't be using your chakra."

"It'll be fine, Sakura. I'm pretty sure I have the most upper strength out of all of us; no offense, Tenzou, but, Gatsuga requires a lot of physical power. Not sure about any of your techniques." Raising a brow at the younger man's words, Tenzou just let it go. He really had no desire to climb down a mountainside sans chakra anyways.

"Akamaru, you stay here, too." The dog rolled his eyes, before plopping comfortably on the ground.

He started down without another word, fingers and feet digging into any niche he could find. It was fairly easy for him. He was in excellent shape and could climb trees quicker than anyone without the aid of his chakra.

Up above, still on level ground, Sakura fidgeted, fingers plucking at the smallest speck of fuzz on her black shorts.

"You really think this is okay? I mean, what's he going to say when he gets down there? 'Hey, I have some friends up above, would you mind getting them too?' What if they attack him before he even gets to the village? What-"

"Sakura," he placated, hand resting on her shoulder as he sat beside her, even as she started to run her hands through Akamaru's fur, "I'm sure he'll be fine. And if it comes down to it, he could always use his chakra; if that happens, you'll know, right? You can sense anyone's chakra for miles. We'll help him if it happens."

Peering up through her eyelashes and the shorter strands of hair that had fallen lose of her ponytail, Sakura gave Tenzou a grateful smile.

"Thank you," she said simply, before resuming her ministrations on Akamaru.

* * *

"Who are you?" Kiba heard a feminine voice shout up at him. He was probably only thirty feet or so away from the village's foundation. Aiming to turn and shout down his answer, he was taken aback as the unfamiliar baggy shirt caught on a particularly sharp rock, and even more so when due to the snag, he lost his footing and grip and fell away from the cliff's side.

"Shit," he cursed, readying himself to use his chakra and hopefully latch back onto the rocks or land without much impact. His intentions were halted when he instead, was caught about the waist by steady arms.

"That's not very safe," the now distinctly female voice said into his ear. "Nor is it very wise. Did you think no one would notice you trying to sneak into the village?"

"Wh- wait, that's not it at all. My fr- my family is up above. We were hoping to do some trading here and such. We have no intentions of _sneaking_ into your village. But, only my sister and older brother and our dog are up there. I couldn't let one of them climb down here. I came to ask for permission and a little bit of help," he finished as he was dropped unceremoniously on the ground.

"We don't usually have _visitors,_" the unknown woman said callously, staring at her fingernails. Brushing the dirt from his clothes, he stood up.

He definitely wouldn't call this woman unattractive, but, she didn't capture him like Sakura did. Her hair was a deep auburn, face slightly thin, but with high cheekbones and a straight nose. She was tall. Taller than himself even, he hated to admit, though it was only by an inch or two. What surprised him the most though were the markings much like his own on her face. They were smaller, more like slashes of dark blue under her eyes, three of them in the same pattern as his own.

She cocked a brow as she got a better look at him. "What's with the markings? Only shinobi have those kinds of markings here. Are you a shinobi? You are trying to sneak in here aren't you?"

"What? No!" Kiba snapped. _Damn her,_ he growled in his mind. "Actually, I don't really know how I got them. My parent's never told me before they died." He hated the way the woman's eyes softened at his words, but at least it seemed like she believed him for now.

"Alright then, what's this about your family above? You want to stay here? I'd have to talk to Raikage-sama first. But, I suppose we can at least get them down here first, that way if he requests a council with you, you'll all be available immediately. Raikage-sama does not like waiting."

"Um, alright."

"Just stay here," she commanded. "If you move, I'll kill you." And with that she was racing up the rocky incline that he'd worked so hard to come down chakra-less.

Needless to say, Sakura, Tenzou, and Akamaru were on guard as the kunoichi bounded over the steep wall's lip.

"Oi!" she snapped, "You're buddy's down there. He said you all needed some help down. So, who's first?"

Without waiting for an answer she grabbed Sakura up and flung herself and her _captive_ over the edge. When all of them were at the bottom, the woman instructed them to follow her after hearing their full story excluding what exactly they were selling.

The Kumogakure woman shoved them into the arms of several armed shinobi before telling them to be good while she spoke with the Raikage.

She returned shortly, face much more relaxed than before.

"He says its fine since it's unlikely that you're shinobi. And if you are, we'll kill you." Kiba was starting to notice a trend with her threats and it made him want to laugh. However, he refrained. He'd rather not waste all their effort with a measly laugh.

"Anyways, out you go," she called even as she ushered them out the towering building's entrance. "Market is that a' way," she added, pointing down the stone road to the left. And remember. Do something bad and I'll kill you… personally."

"Well," Sakura giggled after the door was shut and the woman was out of earshot, "guess we shouldn't do anything wrong. Or she'll kill us."

The two seemingly civilian men grinned at the seemingly civilian Sakura. Akamaru barked.

"Seems like as good a time as ever to get you some clothes, Sakura," Tenzou suggested.

"Ooo," she cooed, "sounds wonderful."

* * *

Oh? What's this? A sort of regular update? haha... I've amazed myself this time with how quick it got done... and I'm already progressing on the next chapter fairly well, too. Eesh, I'm on a weird kick. I've even got Chakra Block, Again I Ask, and others pulled up (8 total, haha) that I'm working on. And, I actually really liked this chapter despite the lack of action between Kiba and Sakura (don't worry though, it's coming :D) so, I hope you all enjoy it too. And thanks for putting up with my oddly spaced updates, haha. On a side note - oh noes! an OC? sort of?

Beta'd by the lurvly Shanny Chan. Go read her stuff -- I demand it, haha. Her crack bunny tales are to die for XD


	8. Tenacious Secrecy

Chapter Eight - Tenacious Secrecy

* * *

It hadn't taken long for them to find the marketplace in the decent sized village. Not too mention the enticing scents of food lured Kiba's nose to the right place.

"How about this?" Kiba called over to Sakura who was currently riffling through various colored tops at one market stall. She turned to Kiba who held a kimono in his hands. At first she wrinkled her nose at the dark blue fabric with a cherry blossom pattern on it. People always thought that just because her name was Sakura that she would want the flower on all of her clothes. She shuffled over to Kiba fully intent on setting him straight, even if he was just trying to be nice, until she got a closer look at the outfit. While the kimono did have the blossoms on it, she now saw that also a lighter blue thread created a circle around each one, something that reminded her of her family crest.

When he held up the obi, doura, and okumi that came with it the deal was sealed. They were made of pink silk with dark crimson embroidery in various swirling patterns to mimic the main robe's circles.

"It's beautiful," she hummed, smiling at Kiba.

"Who would have thought it?" Tenzou said, having made his way over from a male's clothing booth. "You have some taste in women's clothing."

Kiba merely ignored the wood-user. It was likely he was just still jealous over the day Kiba had slept away next to Sakura.

"How much?" Tenzou asked the shopkeeper.

"Oi!" Kiba snapped. "I found the kimono; I'll buy it for Sakura."

"Um," Sakura interrupted hesitantly, "I'd prefer to just buy it myself."

The shopkeeper, also female smiled genuinely at Sakura before telling her the price, which Sakura handed over after searching through her bag for her money purse.

Pausing, Sakura looked to the older woman again, "Hey, I don't suppose you have a changing room or anything, do you?"

"Hmm, well, you could use the back room, dear," she replied, showing the pink-haired girl to the makeshift shop's storage area. Staying to help her customer change, the shopkeeper tsked and shook her head.

"Oh no no, this won't do at all, dear. You're a traveler, aren't you?"

Sakura nodded, unsure of where the woman was going with her statements.

"You're covered in it, dear. You need a hot bath before you put that on. Surely you don't want to get it dirty."

"Well, no, I-I don't, but we don't have a place to stay right now, and I don't really want to wear this all day," she answered, gesturing down to her now dusty cloak.

"I'm closing the shop early today, dear; you and your friends can come home with me and get cleaned up. You seem like a pleasant young lady and my daughter might enjoy the company. She's been quite upset lately. She's in that stage of the pregnancy," the woman chatted kindly, smiling.

"That's very kind of you, but really we-"

"I won't take no for an answer, dear. It's the least I can do. I get very little business lately, it seems."

"Oh my," Sakura said, "I don't see how that's possible. Your work is lovely."

"Thank you, dear. Now, you just keep those bundled up and clean and give me a few minutes to close down the shop."

Walking outside once again, she noted that both Kiba and Tenzou were gone, though, after a quick glance around, she saw both at separate stalls picking up a few items for themselves.

_Of course, _she told herself, _they probably want some other clothes as well. They can't wear the same thing everyday after all._ Sakura herself didn't really care; she'd wear the kimono in order to attract suitable "buyers" then she'd wear only what was necessary to do whatever chores they had for her. Of course, she was a bit worried about the other aspect of working for a man. But she wasn't _exactly_ a novice when it came to sex thanks to Ino's 'friendly' discussions, though she definitely wasn't an expert either. There was nothing she could do about it at the moment though; she'd just have to take things as they came and hopefully being a virgin would only solidify her innocent sister act even moreso.

"Um," Sakura said, closing in on Tenzou's location, "the shopkeeper wants us to stay with her for the night. It's a little weird, I know, but, you have to admit, the people in Ko- back home would do the same thing." Sakura bit her lip. It certainly wouldn't do to run about discussing Konoha when their story put them nowhere near the place.

"Yes, I suppose they would. Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to get a bit of information. And maybe they'll know of a good place to stay for cheap. Go and let your friend know," Tenzou said, nodding towards Kiba who was bartering with a female shopkeeper on the price of the item in his hands.

Sakura smiled as she walked over to Kiba, watching the way one tooth peeked from his mouth as he grinned at the woman, most likely making some semi-rude comment but still managing to be charming in his own way. She had no chance of squeezing the extra money from the Inuzuka even if she was a woman. And, most likely, the price was too high or he would have just paid it.

"Kiba," Sakura said after he'd handed the girl the money for his purchase and drug him out of said girl's earshot, "we've got a place to stay tonight."

"Huh? We haven't even looked around yet."

Sakura rolled her eyes before explaining. "That's 'cause the lady who sold me the kimono offered to let us stay with her. It'll be a good way to get some basic info on the village. Who knows?"

"Alright. You get everything you need?" He asked, noting the sheer emptiness of her hands.

"I don't need much, Kiba. I've got the outfit I'll need for the job and then I have plenty of my own stuff, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," he complied, knowing he'd lose that argument but still hating what he knew was the truth. Hating what he knew she'd have to do on this mission. It was no wonder she wasn't taking an interest in any shopping; how could she? Sakura could very well have to give herself to some strange man, all for the sake of a mission. It made him sick, but Kiba knew if he tried to stop the plan he wouldn't have reason enough. His wanting Sakura for himself just wouldn't suffice.

As they once again approached the woman's kimono stall they found Tenzou waiting with her, talking mildly about who knew what.

"Oh, there you are, dear," the woman said, smiling all the while, "this is rather exciting, isn't it? I haven't had real guests in some time and I just know my daughter will love the company. She's a bit grouchy though," the woman continued, laughing at the thought.

Unbeknownst to the woman, the three Konoha shinobi weren't quite fully paying attention to her rambling words. While their heads remained in a forward facing position, their eyes were busy taking in details on the village- where certain buildings were located, faces of passerby's, possible escape routes.

"Oh dear," Sakura heard the woman exclaim rather suddenly, "I just remember, the festival is this week! You all had me so distracted I nearly forgot! It's always the perfect time to set up shop," she added.

"What is the festival for?" Sakura asked, interest piqued.

"Oh my, yes, that's right, you're travelers. Every year we have a festival to celebrate the move."

Tenzou was the quickest to speak. "The move?"

"Yes, the move. Every year Raikage-sama and several of our more powerful shinobi move the village."

"Wow," Sakura said, eyes wide, "I wouldn't have thought that even possible."

"Well, they are shinobi, dear," the woman replied.

Kiba snorted quietly, unbelieving, "How's it work?"

"Well, I've no idea. We're not allowed to leave our houses when the village is being moved. I have heard it's very dangerous. One year a foolish boy tried to step outside during the set time. Poor thing. His house, family, and he were all crushed."

"That's awful," Sakura whispered, frown on her face. The medic in her screamed for the boy and his family.

"What were they crushed by?"

"That's the odd thing, nothing did it. Everything was just crushed. I leave it to those shinobi powers that move the whole village. I can't come up with an explanation otherwise."

Sakura started, "Well, it sure seems odd that they won't explain things to you, I mean, in Ko-"

"It's not a big deal, Sakuna," Tenzou abruptly interrupted, "I'm sure they have their reasons. Besides, the festival will be a good day for sales, just like- oh, I'm sorry, we've yet to get your name."

"Oh! Sorry, sorry," the kimono-maker said, hands in the air, "sometimes I just get so caught up in my chit chat. My name is Yura Shingaku."

"Ah, lovely name, Yura," Tenzou said, charming smile in place. The same smile Sakura had always felt tugging on her heart strings since she'd gotten close to him. "My name is Yamano Gokurana and these are my younger siblings, Kita and Sakuna."

Sakura smiled, while Kiba bared his teeth merely trying to retain his temper. How dare that bastard give him such a girly fake name!

"Such nice names," the woman returned, turning another corner and slowing. "Well, here we are, dears. It's nothing fancy, but its home, and we have a room to spare and plenty of blankets and sleeping mats, plus you can get that shower, Sakuna."

Sakura sighed, "Sounds wonderful."

* * *

No sooner had they walked into the house that they'd been assaulted by Mr. Shingaku who, while merely trying to keep his family and pregnant daughter safe, asked a large number of questions. Sakura and Kiba let Tenzou do most of the talking as the man, named Gintaka, had obviously deemed the older of the group the most important to talk to.

Sakura found herself swept away by Yura to meet Zhenji, her one and only child who was well into her third trimester. She immediately took a liking to the girl. Zhenji was obviously in a great deal of discomfort, most likely due to the child being too close to her ribs and moving, but she made no mention of it to her mother. It was a sign of strength and Sakura could only hope she'd be as strong in such a situation. Pregnancy, Sakura had decided in her years of medical study, was something she didn't ever want to experience really. Far too much pain.

Even though she was supposed to be someone other than herself, the kunoichi couldn't keep her concern in check and let herself ask a few questions. Yura left them to their discussions to find Kiba sitting in their main room, looking rather bored as his "older brother" and Gintaka talked about their supposed life in Otogakure.

"I fear I haven't been a very good hostess already," Yura said, hand touching Kiba's shoulder. "Are you hungry dear? Perhaps you'd like to help me with dinner while everyone else is busy chatting?"

Kiba shrugged before pushing himself up and following her to the kitchen.

She immediately put him in charge of cutting vegetables and meat, which was fine by him. He could handle a knife as well as a kunai any day. Not too mention in the Inuzuka clan everyone helped with the cooking so he was used to it.

"Tell me a bit about your family, dear," Yura said amiably. "You and your brother both seem really close to your sister."

"Yeah," Kiba began, wondering just what he should say, "guess you could say she's the only reason him and I get along." Well, that much was true, he thought.

"Hmm, well, women, I think, will always be the glue that holds families together. You do like stew, yes?" She asked, suddenly changing the subject.

Kiba grinned, "Of course."

After agreeing to go and get her a glass of water, Sakura had made her way to the kitchen, which took a minute or two since she had no idea where the kitchen actually was. But the house wasn't that big, so it was relatively easy. She paused at the doorway though as she heard Kiba and Yura talking. The older woman was at the stove, back turned to her, while Kiba was looking down at the food he was preparing. It was almost cute, though Sakura would rather picture herself than Yura standing over the stove as Kiba cut away at his veggies.

She hated this. Hated feeling that pain in her heart of not knowing what exactly her head was thinking trying to place herself in some distance picture with Kiba. She knew her body wanted him, but her mind wasn't supposed to play such tricks on her; it wasn't supposed to tell her that her body was right.

Her gaze softened as she watched his tongue being squished between his lips as he concentrated on cutting perfectly sized pieces of beef. His hands moved in such a fluid way she couldn't help but want those hands to be on her and in their current situation that couldn't work. They were supposed to be brother and sister? How was that going to last when all she wanted was for him to look at her with that smoldering gaze he'd given her just two nights ago?

"Oi, Sis," Kiba called playfully, "you just goin' to stand there? Or do you need something?" Only part of him was playing though. He'd seen the look in her eyes as she'd gazed at him, even if she thought it had gone unnoticed. It had nearly made him growl, but that would have surely given Yura something to question. How many normal people literally growled? Of course he wouldn't give a damn if that would let him be alone with Sakura for a while… a long while because that was what he'd need before he'd be able to function around her properly, if that was even possible. That damned scent of hers just drew him in every time. Matters were only worse when he could smell the spikes in her moods, in her excitement.

"Oh, well, actually, I was just going to get Zhenji a drink."

"That girl…" Yura started, "She's perfectly able to come and get herself a drink; why I was cleaning the house when my water broke! Here," she said, snatching a glass from a cupboard and filling it with water from the tap, "I'll take it to her, you have a seat or something dear. I won't have my guests waiting on my daughter," she laughed before leaving Sakura alone with her "brother."

"So," Kiba said, voice quiet, "is the daughter nice?"

"Very, but I think she's a bit shy." Sakura replied, tone just as soft as she walked over to stand across from him at the counter. "She didn't really want me to get her the water, but I insisted. I can tell the pregnancy is giving her a lot of pain. I would have explained that to Yura but-"

"I know, she's quick to speak. Are you worried, Sakura," Kiba finished in a whisper, bending over the countertop closer to her. She could feel his breath on her forehead, the wisps of hair there tickling her skin as he spoke.

She swallowed thickly, "About?"

"I'm not stupid. This mission. I don't like to think about it, but whoever buys you is going to want more than just work from you. I'll hate him."

"Kiba," Sakura gasped nearly inaudibly, "we shouldn't talk about this here, if we get caught-"

"When then?" he hummed, neck craning further, face inching closer. His cheek brushed against hers as his teeth nipped at her earlobe.

"Later," she said urgently. She couldn't fall into this, not if she wanted this mission to succeed, not if she wanted to save Kakashi. But she'd be damned if she didn't want to crawl over the counter and get him to put those teeth to good use.

"Later? When that old bastard will be around to listen to everything? That's not goin' to happen, Sakura."

"I don't know!" she ground out, hands fisted at her sides as his tongue dipped into her ear. Her thighs clenched impulsively, fearing she'd topple over in her fervor. But before she had time to grab him he'd returned to his position over the food and began cutting again.

"Alright, sweetie, you're doing fine," Yura cooed as she helped her daughter through the narrow doorframe.

_Son of a bitch! _Sakura howled inwardly even though she was almost thankful for their return as it had saved her. But the loss of his warmth against her face and neck was almost painful.

Her pain was nearly forgotten though as Yura began to instruct her on the proper ways to season a stew for the cooler months of the year, which were more often than not in their altitude. She stole glances at Kiba throughout Yura's lessons though. Each one made her want to run back home, Kiba in tow. She wasn't aware her scent caused such similar thoughts in Kiba's head, however.

Zhenji took another sip of her water before peering at Kiba, "Have you guys been here long? I mean, I haven't been out as much lately, but I don't recall ever seeing you in the village."

"Oh, we're just traveling actually," Kiba replied, slicing another carrot neatly, "we only just got here today."

"Really?" she said. "What brought you to Kumogakure?"

"My brother hopes to make some money here." Kiba didn't particularly want to go into details on the subject. He hoped Zhenji would drop it.

He doubted Yura would find it amusing to know they planned on selling Sakura, their supposed sister to some stranger for a few coins in their pockets. At least that would be the story she heard.

Luckily for Kiba, Gintaka and Tenzou chose that moment to enter the kitchen and asked what smelled so delicious. Kiba glanced at Sakura; his answer would always differ.

* * *

After a fairly peaceful dinner, with less and less questions from Gintaka, Yura showed the three where they would be sleeping for the night.

"There are several rollout mats in the closet there, as well as blankets. If you need anything feel free to ask. There's a guest bathroom you can use as well, it's just right down the hall, dears."

"Thank you," Sakura hummed happily. She was tired, mainly from, what she decided, was stress.

"I knew my daughter would like you, Sakuna. You two are about the same age and very sweet girls." Sakura didn't really see how that would be the cause of their being friendly, but she'd never tell Yura that. "Goodnight now." And with that she closed the door and headed for the room she shared with her husband.

Tenzou breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't used to such stuffy situations. He didn't typically have to worry about what others were saying on his reconnaissance missions. Why he hadn't thought about it more thoroughly before they'd enter the village wasn't something he wanted to contemplate.

"I'm going to take a shower," he spoke hesitantly. He didn't want to leave them alone, but he had little choice. He couldn't watch them every hour of every day. Grabbing his back from where either Gintaka or Yura must have placed it earlier, he left the room, hoping the mutt didn't hound Sakura too much while he was gone.

Kiba ambled over to the closet and began to remove the sleeping pads Yura had mentioned. They certainly felt like they'd be comfortable- thick but soft, soft but not floppy or flimsy. He'd like to have tossed Tenzou's into a corner, but the room was only so big, and that bigness didn't give him much leeway. The pads, therefore, were placed in a row, two touching, and the last one just a couple inches away. At least the room would be warm for the night, he tried to think positively.

Sakura found herself following suit, blankets in hand. But when Kiba reached to take the last from her hands and place it on his mat, she was also pulled along with the blanket as she didn't let go. Her hands firmly gripping the thick material she let Kiba's arms wrap around her frame, let him embrace her in that musky warmth of his.

"Can we talk about it now?" Kiba questioned, nose in her pastel locks, inhaling deeply.

"Hm?" She purred, wriggling against him, trying to inch closer and get a little more of his heat.

"You're worried, aren't you? Hell, I'm worried and I don't even have to do much."

"It'll be okay, Kiba. I'm a kunoichi; it's just a part of the job."

"Well, you're job sucks then-"

"Hey now," Sakura mumbled into his chest, "you have the same job. But it's more likely that I'll be bought than you." She tilted her head back and peered up at him through her lashes before sticking out her tongue teasingly at him.

"What about you? Aren't you worried about Akamaru? He sure does disappear a lot."

"Naw," Kiba rolled his eyes, "he does it all the time really. Besides, he can gather information we probably couldn't. Despite his size, people never seem to suspect him. As long as he doesn't say anything."

Smirking, Sakura rested her cheek against his collar bone again.

"If you stay like this, I'm not going to be able to let you go, you know." Kiba sighed.

"What did I do? You hugged me," she said matter-of-factly.

Flushed and somewhat embarrassed, Kiba muttered, "I'd kiss you right now, but that would probably lead to other things, and I don't suppose we can risk that, plus there's that old bastard."

Sakura scoffed, "He's not all bad; you just don't like him because of me anyways."

Kiba's cheeks only grew redder.

"If you don't mind," Sakura uttered, voice wavering, I'd like that kiss anyways."

She caught the sight of a sharp incisor before his lips pressed against hers in the tenderest of ways. It was nothing like the kisses before; the kisses that had been all tongue and teeth and lust. This was soft, and gentle, and caring. And it ended all too quickly.

"We should probably get some sleep. I'll shower in the morning. You want to join?" he teased, pulling back and plopping down on his bedding.

"You wish," she sniggered, before she lay down beside him, though the thought was intriguing.

* * *

Firstly... Happy Holidays everyone :) and if you don't celebrate any holidays this time of year... well, happy day to you :) Sorry my updates take forever... I've been working wayyyy too much to make up for all the Christmas shopping I've been doing, haha, plus I just couldn't seem to get into what I was writing... which is partly why I think this chapter kind of sucks... mainly just because it's kind of filler-ish stuff... I needed to get them set up in the village and junk... it'll be better next chapter... really going to start getting into the undercover stuff, haha, plus Sakura is gonna be sold XD I've got a lot planned for this story already, I just need to put my mind to it and write it. I'll try and work on that... after I finish the second part to Twisted. Anyways, even though, like I said, this chap is a bit dull, enjoy... or try XD


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